Mind over Matter, Love over Reality
by Bre1
Summary: *R/J* Rory's love life becomes a twisted mess as she struggles between what is resonable and what her heart wants. Chapter 12 is here!
1. The Fight

This is my first real fanfic, so, go easy on the reviews. I'd really appreciate any comments, thoughts or even criticism. Hope you enjoy  
  
This is a R/J fanfic, it takes place after lost and found. It's rated R more for the future, so now, there's only a little cursing. Um, basically Rory and Lorelai get in a fight over Rory's wavering feelings and because Rory doesn't want her mom to know of her feelings for Jess.  
  
  
  
Chapter One- The Fight  
  
Late Friday night Rory sat on the couch in the living room, a cup of coffee in the open space created by her crossed legs, a hand supporting it, the other holding up Oliver Twist- a book she's read it many times before, but had a recent urge to read it again. She knows exactly what made her pick up that certain book, but she refuses to believe that it was because it reminded her of Jess, a person she has been so adamantly trying to not think about. But, there she goes again, thinking about him, about Jess, about the way he acts as if he could care less about her, about the way he stares at her with a slight smirk and raised eyebrows, about his dark messy hair, and his eyes, so deceiving and so mysterious. Rory, annoyed, lets the book fall and rest on her knee. She lets her head tilt back against the couch as an exasperated sigh escapes her lips. She looks down, at her bracelet and taking the hand from the coffee rubs her finger over the leather string, a million thoughts racing through her head. Dean. Did she really, love him, or had it just became a phrase overused, expressing no meaning, recited like a robot. Things hadn't been going very well lately, they just weren't seeing eye to eye on things anymore. She couldn't remember the last time they did something that they both were equally excited about. This time it was her sacrifice to him to go see Lord of the Rings, that time it was his for her to go to the book shop. Her guilty thoughts again wandered over to Jess, and she begins to fidget uneasily. Were the feelings she got around him simply because he was just something she couldn't have because she was with Dean? Were they feelings where the fun of his mystery would expire as soon as she had caught him? Was he just a way to vent the troubles she was having with Dean? Or… was it something more? She raised the cup up to her lips and drained what was left of the now lukewarm coffee. Rory set the cup down, and stood, walking to her room, her feet pitter-pattering against the wood floor. Already in her pjs she brushed her teeth, glanced at the clock, 12:45, and got into bed, her mind still a junkyard of thoughts, all racing about. Rory stared up at the ceiling and closed her eyes, a small smile formed on her lips as she sheepishly thought about their talk when she had said that if he cared for her, he would try to get along with her mom. She had been embarrassed, but for some reason, the look in his eyes had made Rory's thoughts swirl as she couldn't tell exactly what he meant when he had asked her what made her think that he cared for her. The worst problem was that she didn't know what made her think he cared for her, and though she wished to deny it, she knew she had said that based on her feelings for Jess; she just couldn't help caring for him. Rory rolled over, determined to put Jess out of her mind, with little avail and stayed awake brooding and dreaming about him until crashing at 3:07 in the morning.  
  
Saturday morning around 10:30 AM  
  
Lorelai poked her head into her sleeping daughter's room, a coffee cup in each hand. Seeing her still asleep, she was about to turn away, but, being her inpatient self decided she was too hungry to meander around the house much longer. So, using her butt to push open the door, she went in, feeling a little excited and gitty and bent down really close to Rory who was laying on her side, her hair strune over the pillow, her mouth part open breathing softly, and Lorelai, drawing a big breath shouted,  
  
"WAKE UP!" and then moved quickly to get out of the way. Just in time too, for Rory jolted, her eyes snapping open. She sat up, rubbing the ear Lorelai had screamed in and watched with a pouty scowl as Lorelai was giggling furiously, sloshing the coffee a bit. As she looked up, Rory's expression and wonderful hair style set her into an even worse bought of giggles as she set down the mugs on Rory's desk not to spill anymore. Lorelai felt a bit childish, but thoroughly pleased with herself as she plopped down on Rory's bed next to her.  
  
"That was positively evil" Rory said sticking out her bottom lip, but then a moment later replacing it with a big yawn.  
  
"Oh, wasn't it?" Lorelai smiled mischievously at her daughter. "But, it was for a just cause." She finished with a determined head nod to strengthen her point.  
  
"And what cause would that be?" Rory pried, feeling tired but now amused.  
  
"My Stomach." Lorelai stated jumping off the bed and grinning widely knowing she had Rory now.  
  
"Ugggg!" groaned Rory and flopped back down covering her face with her sheet.  
  
"There will be no groaning out of you missy, because groaning means no coffee!" Lorelai taunted, picking up the mugs and inching her way threateningly out of the door. With that, Rory sprang up,  
  
"Ok, ok, groaning is forever ceased. Coffee. Now." She returned, narrowing her eyes menacingly and waving about her outstretched arms for the mug of coffee.  
  
"Fine, but get dressed, there might not be any seats left at Luke's." Lorelai said, knowing that lie wouldn't work but still trying to make it sound feasible in her tone of voice.  
  
" What?" said Rory, now standing but never letting go of the mug Lorelai had handed to her, amusement sounding in her voice as she had not been convinced of her mother's statement. "You know just as well as I do that all of Stars Hollow couldn't even fill Luke's dinner…Pets included!" She added to make her statement a bit more profound.  
  
"Nooooo!" Lorelai retorted thoroughly enjoying herself. "Miss Patty would take up at least two seats, and no one would sit within a three seat radius of Taylor, and for sure Babette would insist that her garden gnomes counted as pets and then you know that Luke's would be filled for sure, positively overflowing in fact!" She ended smiling wittily and amused at the annoyed look on Rory's face.  
  
"Just because you brought up the garden gnomes and because you are still sticking to your ridiculous argument, and, and, because you keep smiling like that, I am going to take as long as possible to get ready!" She shot back enjoying the look on her mothers face change rapidly.  
  
"Not fair." She whispered under her breath with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Humph" Rory let out victoriously while spinning around to inch towards her dresser.  
  
"Fine" she said as she watched Rory scuffle an inch or so at a time to her cloths, "I'll just go and eat without you!" She said knowing she had Rory right where she wanted her, that smile plaster back on her confident face.  
  
Rory turned, stared at her, then walked to her dresser, and began to pull out cloths and said over her shoulder, "And you think I'm not fair!"  
  
"Hehehehe, I'll see yha outside in five."  
  
"Five?! I need ten."  
  
"Six."  
  
"Eight."  
  
"Seven"  
  
"Seven and a half!"  
  
"Fine, seven and a half." Lorelai said and then skirted out, shutting Rory's door behind her.  
  
Rory sighed and smiled softly to herself as she began to pull out her outfit for the day. She dressed quickly, tried to make her hair obey, gave up and pulled into a loose bun, put on a bit of makeup and hurried out to meet her mom on the porch, grabbing her jacket as she went.  
  
They walked in silence for a little while when Lorelai asked after witnessing a huge yawn from Rory:  
  
"Hey, why so tired esta manana? You get to bed late?"  
  
"Uh, si, I was reading and I guess I lost track of time." Rory answered stifling another yawn  
  
"Oh, so what time did you get to sleep?" Lorelai prodded further  
  
"A little after 3 I think." Said Rory looking down at her feet  
  
"You were reading until 3 in the morning?" Lorelai asked with disbelief  
  
"No, no, I stopped reading at like 12:30 or something." Rory responded, not wanting to answer the next questions that were sure to follow.  
  
"Well, if that's when you went to bed, but you didn't fall asleep until 3, what were you doing in the mean time, counting sheep?"  
  
"Something like that…" Rory trailed off trying to avoid the subject. "So what time did you get to bed?" she asked in an attempt to stop the interrogation  
  
"No, you're changing the subject, no can do; but nice try."  
  
"Gee thanks" said Rory sarcastically  
  
"So, I still want to know what you were thinking about for three hours."  
  
"Two and a half hours, and I don't know, just stuff." Rory shifted uneasily. Her mom was always good at getting info out of her, but this time she really didn't want her to pry; she knew she hated Jess, and how would she react to her saying she had been up all night thinking about him?  
  
"Stuff? What kind of stuff, huh?" Lorelai said grinning and poking Rory in the ribs.  
  
"Nothing mom, ok, just drop it." Rory said annoyed, but a little harsher than she meant to. This proved to be a mistake as it had the opposite effect she had hoped for.  
  
"Ooooh, touchy, must be really important, or really secret. Ohhh, come on, you can tell me, I'm not Barbra Walters."  
  
"True, but I'm still not going to tell you. Besides, if I did I'd have to kill you and I don't think you'd like that option either." Rory said, trying to intersperse a little comedy, but attempting to end the conversation at the same time.  
  
"Fine, whatever, I don't even care what sappy things you think about anyway." Lorelai said a little hurt her daughter had refused to confide in her. She figured it to be something Rory knew she wouldn't approve of. 'Oh well,' she thought, 'I'll probably figure it out later.'  
  
"Good, you shouldn't" Rory flung back a little offended too. She really wanted to tell Lorelai, but this time, she just wouldn't understand.  
  
Just as their conversation had tapered to an end, they arrived at Luke's and sat down, neither one looking at each other. Luke walked over, coffee pot in hand and was eagerly preparing for his and Lorelai's usual coffee fight, but it didn't come. Confused and a bit disappointed he said  
  
"You two ok?"  
  
"Oh, yha, were fine. Can I just get some coffee and pancakes… blueberry." Lorelai added, trying to divert the conversation from her and Rory.  
  
"Yha sure. Um, how 'bout you Rory?" Luke asked as he poured their coffee.  
  
"Um, I'll have pancakes too, but I want mine regular." She said this attempting to prove her and her mom were not too much alike.  
  
Luke nodded, and then proceeded into the kitchen. Rory glanced around hopefully, but didn't spot Jess. He was probably back in the storage room she thought to herself. Sighing and looking at her mom, she decided to try and ease the silence by trying to explain herself.  
  
"Look mom, I'm sorry, I've just had a lot of stuff on my mind and somehow I don't really think you'll understand. That's all."  
  
"Oh really?" Lorelai raised her eyebrow, her tone a little harsh. "Try me." She said in a taunting tone.  
  
Rory sighed, maybe she'd open up a little, it would at least get her mom back on good terms with her.  
  
"Well," she hesitated, not to sure where to begin, "well, it's just that things have been a little weird between me and Dean." she said, trying to chose her words carefully.  
  
"Weird like how? Weird like National Inquire weird, or like uncomfortable silence weird." Lorelai prompted, trying to help.  
  
"Like uncomfortable silence weird." Rory answered quietly.  
  
"Oh. That's not good is it?" Lorelai responded beginning to catch on to her daughters tangled inner-workings  
  
"No, I don't think it is. We just haven't been getting along really well lately; I mean we always seem to argue now, even over the most trivial things. It's just that our relationship has become so repetitive lately, we get together, we kiss, then argue, then kiss again, and that's a Dean date in a nutshell." Rory said, and flopped her head down on her arms, slouching down on the table.  
  
"Oh, that really doesn't sound good." Lorelai commented. Deciding to through it out, just to see Rory's reaction, Lorelai said, "This, this doesn't have anything to do with…uh…Jess, does it?"  
  
"What?" Rory's head shot up again. "No, where did you get that idea?" Rory said, a little panicked but also a little agitated she could be so easily figured out.  
  
"Wohh, calm down, I was just asking. So, I take that's a no?" She asked still unconvinced  
  
"Oh course that's a no!" Rory shot back.  
  
"Humm, Ok." Lorelai answered in a condescending way.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Rory said now angry.  
  
"What?" Lorelai said pretending to not understand what she had done.  
  
"That little hummm thing, like you don't believe me!" Rory responded now quite upset.  
  
"Well, there just seems to be a few holes in your story Rory. You've been blowing off Dean a lot lately and on top of that, you and Jess have been thrown together a lot lately and I'm starting to think its not just coincidence."  
  
"Oh really! You're so unbelievable." Rory fumed  
  
"On the contrary, you're the one I'm having a hard time believing." Lorelai shot right back at her.  
  
"You know what; I really don't need this from you." She said scooting back her chair. "And you really wonder why I don't tell you everything?" Rory asked, "Well guess what, you don't always need to know or have control of my life! I can make my own decisions about who I do things with or what I do!" Rory scoffed and stood to go just as Luke brought them their food.  
  
Rory stood still, and they all just stared at one another, a little uneasy.  
  
"Uh, ok, I, uh…" He started but seeing the looks on their faces stopped and just put down the plates, then hurried back to the kitchen sensing he was unwelcome.  
  
Rory looked down at her food, now with out an appetite. She grabbed her jacket and turned to go.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Lorelai said angrily  
  
"To Lane's" Rory responded without even looking back. She slammed the door behind her a little harder than she meant to. The other customers stopped taking and turned, as Lorelai groaned under her breath, watching Rory's retreating back through the window with mixed feelings.  
  
"Fuck" she cursed under her breath and began to pick at her pancakes, not really very hungry anymore.  
  
-- First chapter, sorry no R/J interaction, but its coming! Please R &R and tell me what you thought. Thanks- Breanna 


	2. Run Rory, Run

- Thanks for all the reviews, sorry I had to spend the weekend in a hotel for a soccer tournament, no internet there…  
  
Chapter 2: Run Rory, Run  
  
THE NEXT MORNING (Sunday)  
  
Rory and Lorelai were still not on speaking terms, well; actually they hadn't seen each other either since the dinner incident. Rory had stayed the nights at Lane's, though she had had to hide in a closet until Lane's mother went to bed so that Rory wouldn't get kicked out. They woke pretty early, Rory feeling much better after venting out her issues to a considerate Lane, then spending a quite enjoyable day of music, shopping and ice cream followed by a thoughtless night of rest. Lane had suggested they call Dean and Henry to go along with them on their outings, but Rory had declined saying she would rather spend the afternoon with just Lane. Rory had been in no mood to talk to let alone even see Dean. She just felt like forgetting all about Dean, her mom and Jess, and just spending a carefree afternoon, without thinking of the three people that were cause of all her problems. However, try as she might, she still couldn't get them off her mind, well, actually it wasn't them that she couldn't get off her mind but rather a certain him. Jess was driving her absolutely mad. The worst part was that she hardly even knew him, and already she couldn't stop thinking about him. She felt so guilty; she knew that Dean was a great guy and he was her boyfriend and she couldn't deny that. Admitting that did her no condolence thought, for she knew that even if she admitted he was a great guy and a great boyfriend, it still didn't mean that she loved him, and that's what got to her the most. She knew she didn't love him any more, and it troubled her. She wanted to love him, it made since to love him, he provided security, respect, loyalty and trust and, well, he loved her. That in itself was what made this so hard for Rory. She knew that he would do anything to make her happy, that he would stay loyal long after her heart had wandered. Because of this, she respected him, and because of this she told herself she had to stick with him, that eventually her feelings for him would resurface, she was just in a weird stage. Yes, Jess was definitely not worth ending what she had with Dean; besides, she didn't even know if Jess liked her more than as a person he could stand to talk to once in a while.  
  
After these series of revelations, Rory relaxed and had quite an enjoyable day. However, this convincing promise to stay with Dean seemed to hold no ground when she was with Jess. All her well laid out plans fell to peaces as soon as she looked into his searching eyes though she adamantly refused admittance of this event and its results on her quickly wavering feelings.  
  
Rory rolled over and stretched out her arms into the air, letting out an early morning groan. Batting open her eyes she turned, the room dimly lit from the outside light trying to poke its way in through the closed blinds in Lane's room.  
  
"Lane?" Rory called out sleepily. "You awake?" She asked very much doubting an answer to this question. Rolling back over on to her back she stared up at the blank ceiling. "What time is it?" she said out loud, but directed more toward herself than Lane.  
  
"8:30" Lane's voice called out muffled from her pillow. "Uh, Rory," she grunted trying to turn to face Rory, "my moms going to make me stay in today…" she stifled a yawn and it was a few seconds before she continued, "and do all my chores and homework, she always makes me do all my things early on Sunday so I can get to bed early tonight." She said, then yawned again and continued. "So, if you hid again you could probably stay for a while, but we don't have any coffee in here, and I doubt you'll be able to sneak out then back in to get it, but you can give it a try if you're up to it. I could play music and distract her, or call the other line while you hop the window, or I could-"  
  
"Lane."  
  
"Set a diversion while you-"  
  
"Lane!"  
  
"Oh, sorry. What?"  
  
"It's ok, I know you can't do stuff on Sunday. I'll just go to Lu… out to breakfast or something." Rory said with a nervous smile.  
  
"Rory…" Lane said unconvinced  
  
"No really Lane, I'll be fine." Rory said trying persuade Lane she really would be ok.  
  
It wasn't working. "Listen Rory, I don't think Luke's would be the best place to go. How about you just, uh, go home?" Lane said, a hint of concern  
  
"Lane…" Rory said eying her friend with the look that said 'you know why I can't go home'.  
  
"I know, I know, but you need to make up with her, and it's better than going to Luke's and running into Jess." Lane said  
  
"Look Lane, I'm not ready to deal with my mother yet, and if will make you feel better I'll go to Al's for breakfast, ok?" Rory said hoping she could convince Lane and have her drop it.  
  
"Ok, fine." She said, but without any real certainty in her voice.  
  
Rory got up, "Look, you go back to sleep, its not like you have much to look forward today anyway, and try to get the most out of your dream world as you can…" Rory said smiling down at Lane.  
  
"Best idea you've had all morning." Lane smelled sleepily back.  
  
"And I'll get changed and go." Rory continued gathering up her clothes and making her way to Lane's door and then the bathroom.  
  
"K, just put my pajamas back in the closet, oh, and make sure to go out the back door, my mom will probably be in the front store part." Lane responded sleepily  
  
"Thanks Lane, I'll call you later and inform you how my situation's going."  
  
"No prob, see yha." Lane said rolling back on to her side.  
  
Rory changed and snuck down the stairs and out of Lane's house as quietly as possible. Rory walked with her hands in her jacket pocket and made her way down the side walk to Al's. As she walked she glanced sidelong into Luke's window. Her mom wasn't there, and Luke's back was turned taking someone's order. She stopped and her eyes scanned the whole restaurant, and she even inched to the left a little to get a better look behind the counter into the kitchen. No Jess. No Jess and Luke had so much better coffee and pancakes than Al's. What could it hurt, no Jess, no mom, and besides, she could just get the food and coffee to go; she'd for sure avoid conflict that way. Rory, satisfied her plan was flawless strode into Luke's and plopped down at the counter.  
  
"Hey Luke" she said trying not to sound to apprehensive  
  
"Rory" Luke nodded moving to fill up her cup with coffee.  
  
"No, wait, can I get the coffee to go?... Please?" She added as Luke gave her a very quizzical look  
  
"To go."  
  
"Yes, to go."  
  
"As in portable takeout?" Luke as with a quizzical expression  
  
"Yes, that is what one might think 'to go' would imply." Rory said raising her eyebrows trying to act as though this was a normal request and a very obvious thing.  
  
"But it's Sunday. You only get 'to go' on school days." Luke said, his brow furrowed in concern  
  
"Yha, well, and on rare occasions, and this is one of those rare occasions." Rory said  
  
"Hummm." He said eying her suspicious. "What's going on?" He said rather as a demand to know, not as a question  
  
"Oh, I don't know." Rory said exasperated. "We had this big fight yesterday and I'd rather like to avoid my mom."  
  
"Yha, I noticed. It was quite a hostile situation for an innocent pancake man." Luke said. It was not a prompt to continue, but Rory took that he still wanted to know more by his expression  
  
"It was a stupid fight, she was prying into my life, and she got offended when I wouldn't tell her some stuff she really doesn't need to know about. So to prevent further conflict, I told her my problems were mostly just about me and Dean and some problems we've been having, then she accused me of lying when she asked if our issues had anything to do with…" Rory trailed off, her eyes fixed on something, or rather someone behind Luke. Luke following her gaze turned and looked at Jess standing on the stares his arm shirt and blue vest on over it, and an expression Rory couldn't quite read.  
  
"…Jess." Rory finished barley in a whisper, but Luke didn't need her to finish and he told her such when his eyes came back to fix on hers.  
  
"Oh." Luck said giving an understanding nod.  
  
Rory just sighed and said "Could I get that coffee, and, well, just a muffin to go too. Oh, um, blueberry please." Rory said to Luke, but all the while her eyes following Jess as he headed toward them.  
  
"You got it, coffee and a muffin to go." Luck said as he turned to get Rory's order.  
  
Jess came and stood in front of Rory in Luke's previous spot and raised an eyebrow, nodding a greeting as he said "Hey. Ah, you look good." Luke watched over his shoulder, a little anxious, and almost spilled the coffee all over himself. Rory looked up, and their eyes locked. She quickly looked down at her hands in her lap and began to fidget, annoyed that her stomach jumped just by gazing into his eyes. Talking more to her shoes than Jess, she sarcastically responded "Gee thanks."  
  
"What's wrong?" Jess asked rather frankly, and just the way Luke had; more as a demand than a question  
  
"Nothing, I'm fine" Rory tried to shrug it off, but still not being able to meet his eyes again.  
  
Jess smirked "Ummm, sure you are." he said, his eyes searching her face for some sort of clue to her dilemma.  
  
"No, really, I just had a fight with my mom, but I'm fine." She said, but her gaze remained fixed on her hands in her lap getting annoyed he wouldn't leave her alone; Dean always felt like a distant memory when she was with Jess and it scared her.  
  
"You know you're really not good at lying." Jess said back  
  
"Um, guess not, but what the hell are you going to do about it" Rory said now annoyed to the point of anger that he still could make her feel gitty just by look into his eyes. Before Jess could answer, Luke came over with her coffee and a bag that obviously housed her muffin. Rory got up and pulled a couple of bucks out of her pocket, put it on the counter smiled at Luke, and let her gaze travel over to Jess who stood watching her, a bit confused at her unprovoked anger. She held her gaze with narrowed eyes of confusion and annoyance as their eyes locked once again. She broke it once more and turned to leave.  
  
"Bye… thanks Luke." She called as she headed toward the door needing to get away from the one person that could so easily make her forget all about who she really was, or rather who she was trying to convince herself to be. She was convinced her and Dean's relationship was dependent on her distance from Jess, besides she told herself, Dean never made her feel so vulnerable. But there she went again, who said she didn't mind the vulnerable feeling Jess gave her, the feeling of an unexpected newness she was so hungry for. But no, once again security and certainty was what she needed in a relationship, and Dean was the guy to fulfill that. She sighed as pushed the door open and stepped out into the cool morning air confusion the cause of her furrowed brow. Jess watched as the door banged shut behind her and as she headed down the street, in the opposite direction of her house. His emotions were swirling as he picked up the washcloth and began to rub down the counter. Bending his head over his work, he thought about Rory, wondering what was wrong with her; he could comprehend why she had acted so cordial to him if she had just had a fight with her mom? Sighing, he straightened, looked over at Luke who was back in the kitchen, and flung the towel down on the counter and walked to the door. Luke turned as he saw Jess heading out and called out  
  
"Where are you going, you've got to work."  
  
"Church" Jess responded smirking  
  
"What?" Luke said annoyed  
  
"Yep, I suddenly discovered my sudden need to repent for all my sins." Jess said as he opened the door to leave  
  
"Oh no you don't, you've got work to do." Luke said now upset at the gall Jess had  
  
"Sorry Luke, God before burgers." Jess said shrugging in a very condescending manner. He didn't even wait to hear Luke's response as he shut the door behind him, smiling to himself as he herd Luke yelling at him from inside. Completely ignoring him Jess walked off down the street heading for the place he was sure Rory would be.  
  
  
  
More coming soon (especially R/J), please R&R and tell me what you think. -Breanna 


	3. Bridge Therapy

Chapter 3: Bridge Therapy  
  
  
  
Same Day (Sunday)  
  
Jess walked down the street putting his hands in his vest pockets. He crossed the street and headed towards the bridge, the spot he was sure Rory would be. He came to a bush at the start of the bridge and peered out from around it. There sat Rory, slowly chewing her muffin with her coffee cup in hand. She swallowed and then took a sip of coffee, all the while staring out at the water. Jess smiled to himself as he watched her, she was so beautiful the way her hair fell about her shoulders and around her round face, and her skin so pale and smooth was rosy from the early morning chill. He steeped out and made his way down the bridge, his heart hammering in his chest so loud he was sure she could hear it. She noticed his presence as he approached her. Rory turned and looked up at him and then turned quickly away, focusing her gaze back down at the water again. Jess slid down next to her and gazed out at the water too.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Rory asked trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.  
  
It was one thing to be with Jess in a busy dinner with Luke standing right near by, but it was something completely different being alone, on the bridge they had had lunch, with no one around, all alone, completely and utterly… alone. A chill ran up her spine making her quiver as she realized that she wasn't sure if she was nervous because this scared her or because it thrilled her.  
  
"Well, it's nice to see you too." Jess responded sarcastically trying to gain composure  
  
"I didn't mean it like that… Sorry" she added looking sidelong at him; noticing the sarcasm in his voice, and the crudeness in hers.  
  
Jess simply shrugged and continued to stare out of the water then said,  
  
"So, what are you doing here?" He was very good at responding with a question, turning it on her.  
  
"I came here to eat breakfast…" And noticing the look he gave her she continued "and to think."  
  
"About…" he prompted her on  
  
After a pause "My life and where I fit into it." She responded, opting not to add where he and Dean fit into it too.  
  
"Oh. So, are the ducks providing any great revelations yet?" Jess asked, a smirk forming in the corners of his mouth as he watched her stare at a group of them on the water.  
  
"Humm, not yet," Rory said playing along, "but I'm sure our newly acquired alarm clock is adding in the translation process." She said smiling, placing her empty bag and coffee cup down on her other side.  
  
"Oh, sorry, I guess it was my mistake to assume your mother's motives at the time she purchased the alarm clock were simply because I figured her to be a physco, not because she was trying to help you converse with nature." Jess said, now positively smirking  
  
"Well it's a good thing my mother bought the thing and not me, huh?" Rory responded  
  
"I'm not to sure; I heard mental stability can be translated from generation to generation." Jess fired back.  
  
"Ooooh, and your one to talk considering you're here on the condition your parent's mental stability isn't exactly up to par." Rory said back, but not quite with any realization on the effect her words could have.  
  
Jess' smile vanished and he stared at Rory for a minute, his eyes cold and hard before he turned back to staring at the lake, his jaw clenched.  
  
"Jess…" Rory began, feeling her heart sink knowing she had really hurt him. She reached out and placed a hand on his arm. He flinched at the touch, and shook her hand off as he turned to stare at Rory. He felt his anger slightly ebb away when he saw the look of sorrow and sympathy in her eyes, but she had touched upon a subject he was very vulnerable in, and she had prodded in just a bit too deep, surfacing a question that had been brooding in him for a while. Was he really like his parents, or could he change the pattern of destruction his parents had so adamantly pursued?  
  
Angry, he practically yelled,  
  
"I…am…nothing like my parents." His voice trembling a bit from anger. "How the hell can you possible think you know me enough to say something like that!"  
  
Rory just looked at him shocked, watching his face turn a little red.  
  
"Your right, I'm sor-" Rory began, but Jess cut in, and began shouting again  
  
"Just because my mom can't commit to anything doesn't mean that I can't too. Just because she is a lousy flake doesn't mean I am too; and just because she runs from her problems doesn't mean that I do too, and just because-"  
  
"Jess!" This time it was Rory's turn to cut him off. "I'm sorry." She said, simply but with such meaning in her voice and eyes. "You're right, I don't know you…"  
  
Jess butted in, still in need of venting his anger  
  
"Damn right you don't and for you to think that saying sorry is suddenly going to make it all better-"  
  
Rory instead of trying to say anything again just placed one finger delicately on his lips to silence him and whispered  
  
"Shut up Jess." And he did, but all the while his heart was pumping fast, his anger forgotten as the two just stared at each other; Jess' breathing still a bit fast and heavy. Rory let her finger slid off his lips and let her hand trail down his arm and then slid into his hand, all the while Jess felt goose bumps rise as a chill raced through his body making the hairs on the back of his next stand on end. Softly she interlaced her fingers in with his, her mind racing as she seemed unable to control what she was doing. Jess watched her hand, and then looked back up into her eyes. Not for the first or last time Rory was at a loss of what Jess' eyes were trying to tell her. Her heart was going fast, and any thoughts of Dean suddenly became 'Dean who?'  
  
Rory began to speak again; her voice barely audible but Jess could hear her perfectly.  
  
"What I was saying was that…" she took a breath but kept her gaze locked with is his "was that I don't know you… but…I'd, I'd love to change that."  
  
She finished and gave his hand a small squeeze. While outwardly Jess portrayed this as having no effect on him, inside his stomach was churning and he felt weak; he had been waiting all his life for someone to say something like that and now he felt as he would do anything to make this girl happy.  
  
Jess simply nodded. "What do you want to know?" he whispered back. He was no longer nervous or upset, but completely relaxed, however, not quite enough to let his guard down; she could never make him do that…or could she? He was seriously beginning to question his abilities to conceal his true feelings from her anymore.  
  
"We'll start simple, what's your favorite color?" she asked, a small smile returning  
  
"Blue." He responded  
  
"Favorite food?"  
  
"Chinese."  
  
"Oh really? I didn't know that." Rory said in surprise  
  
"Well that's the purpose of this isn't it? To find things you didn't know about me?" He responded sarcastically smiling now too, but aware they were still holding hands and that Rory's grasp hadn't exactly loosened, nor that he wanted it to.  
  
"Fine, I guess there is now a 'no after response comment rule' considering you seem to be the question nazi." Rory said  
  
"Oh, yes, don't doubt that I am. However, I will allow an 'after response comment' if it doesn't include any of that 'Oh really' crap. If I told you an answer, than you don't need to ask another question verifying my response." He said with a smirk  
  
"Well Jess, last I checked "Oh really' was used more as a phrase than as a question." Rory fired back  
  
"Agreed. Then shall I just say no more 'thinking out loud phrases'?"  
  
"That works."  
  
"Continue."  
  
"Ok, favorite book."  
  
"You of all people should know how entirely impossible that question is to answer." Jess said frowning at her  
  
"True." Rory said  
  
"Um, ok, middle name." she asked  
  
"Don't have one." He said frankly  
  
"Fair enough." She shrugged  
  
"What is your earliest memory?" Rory asked coming up with questions out of the blue  
  
"Oh…um, I don't know. I can tell you that one of my earliest memories would have to be the I stole a bunch of chocolate chip cookies at a day care center and then went in a closet and ate them all until I got really sick." Jess said smiling  
  
"Ah, what a pity, stealing in your delicate years; you were tainted at a young age." Rory said sarcastically shaking her head "I was sincerely hoping you might have not crushed all of your innocence so early."  
  
Jess laughed and said, "Well, it was definitely long gone before I could even walk."  
  
"I don't doubt that." Rory smiled "So, on your loss of innocence note, when was your first time in a cop car?"  
  
"Who said I've been in a cop car?" Jess asked trying to look serious with an innocent puppy dog face  
  
"Ok, others more gullible, or just plain stupid, may be more fooled by your charm, but it doesn't work on me." Rory said  
  
"My charm?" Jess asked raising his eyebrows and causing Rory to groan  
  
"Or lack of should I say?" Rory said smirking now too  
  
Jess just shook his head sighing  
  
"Next."  
  
"No, no 'next'. You're avoiding my question, when was your first time in a cop car?" Rory prodded further  
  
Jess sighed and looked right at her then turned away and responded so Rory couldn't hear.  
  
"What was that?" she said giggling a little  
  
He turned back to her and said "Five"  
  
"Five!" She squealed, "What did you do, steel a baby's bottle?"  
  
"Something like that." He said, smiling a bit at her amusement upon this admittance  
  
"Elaboration please." She trying to act professional  
  
He took a big breath and began, "Ok, one day I got caught steeling a Power Ranger from Toys 'R' Us,"  
  
"A Power Ranger?" she said giggling again  
  
"Keeping in mind I was five, yes, and continuing" he said looking annoyed in a humorous manor, "not to mention my mom being god knows where, the store manager had to call the cops and they had to come pick me up and take me to the station. I caused them a really shit load of problems though, I refused to say a word, and they couldn't figure out who I was. I actually had to stay the night… but they put me in one of the offices, not a cell," Jess added noting the look of surprise on Rory's face, "and it wasn't until sometime later that next day that my mom called to inform the cops she had lost her kid. They then put two and two together and I went home, but not after my mom got quite a pep talk from the cops. I guess you could say I was a problem from the very start for my mom, I'm actually surprised she put up with me for as long as she did." Jess finished and took a breath, glancing up at Rory's face.  
  
"It took your mom a whole day to figure out you were gone?" She said in amazement  
  
"That's actually record time. When I was seven I spent four whole days in the station until she came to get me." Jess said, looking down  
  
"Oh…Jess I'm sorry." Rory said giving him a small smile and his hand another little squeeze and causing his insides to swirl again. Did she realize the effect that was having on him?  
  
"Don't worry about it…I stopped worrying long ago." He said  
  
Rory sighed and lied back, pulling Jess down with her as she didn't let go of his hand. They both just lied there content, staring up at the sky and the clouds. Jess turned his head, shifted his position and looked at her before speaking  
  
"Now that my interrogation is complete," he sighed "for now" he added as Rory raised her eyebrows at him, and then nodded in approval at the last addition, "its time for yours." Jess finished  
  
Rory rolled on her side propping herself up on her elbow and faced him, looking into his eyes intently  
  
"Jess…"  
  
"Rory…" He said giving her the same look, only sarcastically  
  
"Fine." She sighed, but now not at all amused  
  
Jess frowned but persisted, determined to unravel her thoughts  
  
"Why were you so distant today at Luke's?" Jess cut right to the chase  
  
Rory released her hand from his and sighed again, much to Jess' dismay.  
  
"Look, do we really have to talk about this now?" She said trying to divert the conversation  
  
"This seems like a good of time as any." he said rolling over on his side propping himself up too facing her; which resulted in a very small space separating the two. Rory felt her heart go off again as she could feel his breath on her face. She wiped her sweaty palm on her jeans before meeting his eyes. Just like in the dinner, she had to look down again as her breath was caught short. He lay, waiting patiently as she searched for the right words. A loose strand of hair hung down around her face and Jess moved his hand up and brushed it gently behind her ear, his fingertips softly caressing her cheek. The two just stared at each other, before Jess broke the silence  
  
"So what happened?"  
  
"Ok," she said opening up to him "my mom and I got in a really big fight, she accused me of lying so I stormed away and spent the night at Lanes." Rory said deliberately cutting it short and leaving out parts of the story.  
  
"Humm," Jess said unconvinced, "so what did she accuse you of lying about?" Jess asked  
  
Now she was stuck.  
  
"Well, um, she thought I was lying about why Dean and I were, are, having problems." She said a little nervous now, knowing she was fully proving her mother's side of the argument right now lying there with Jess  
  
"And what did she think the real reasons for your problems were?" He asked in a coxing voice  
  
"Uh…you." She said quietly not meeting his eyes  
  
"And," Jess continued his heart betting remarkably fast, but somehow right in tune with Rory's "is that true?"  
  
Rory swiftly brought her eyes to meet his. She opened her mouth to respond but was cut short by something that made her very blood freeze.  
  
"Rory? What the Hell!" It was Dean.  
  
  
  
Please review and tell me what you think. Sorry I'm not supper fast at updating, schools really bogging me down. Thanks -Breanna 


	4. Words, Wallops and Water

*Ok, I just want to start by thanking everyone for their great reviews; it really helps to keep me motivated. I also want to apologize for taking a while to post, I had a big Model UN conference from Friday afternoon to Sunday night and I was preparing all week long on top of my daily dose of hell (homework). Thanks for sticking with me, hope you like it, but just a warning, this chapter's a little intense…* Breanna  
  
Chapter 4- Words, Wallops and Water  
  
Rory felt dread and fear course through the length of her body as she tensed all over, thinking over and over 'this can't be happening'. She glanced over at Jess, her back still to Dean. His face was stiff; he was staring at Dean over her, his eyes a bit cold and angry.  
  
Rory heard Dean's feet pounding along the boards as she turned and scrambled to her feet. She heard Jess do the same, but didn't bother to look.  
  
Dean looked livid, actually almost murderous. Rory felt her stomach churning painfully as she really didn't want the coming confrontation, but it was a little late for that  
  
"What…what the hell are you doing?" Dean yelled a touch of pain and jealously in his voice.  
  
"Dean, nothing, really, we…I…was…eating, and then we just started…we were just…" Rory tried to stutter out nervously  
  
"Just what Rory?! What?!" Dean said cutting her off, his face turning a reddish shade. He was so angry, he couldn't even think straight. Jess stood back, uncertain of what to do  
  
"And just nothing Dean. We were talking! Just talking. That's all, I swear." Rory said, in her most convincing tone, but she was a nervous wreck, the last thing she needed was another fight with Dean, especially over Jess. This wasn't going to turn out pretty.  
  
"Oh, yha, sure! You two seemed a little cozy for 'just talking'!" Dean imitated her, still yelling  
  
"Cozy! We were just lying there!" Rory shot back defensively, her temper flaring now too. Jess just stood and watched a sad little smirk on his face as he observed Rory adamantly trying refuse that anything else other than talking had gone on. While in truth that might have been all they had done, he definitely knew that hadn't been all they were feeling.  
  
"Do you really expect me to believe that Rory! Do you really think I'm that thick?! Well do you? Answer me!" Dean roared letting all his emotions out on her and making Rory shrink back as he interrogated her. Deciding it was time to help her out Jess said  
  
"Hey, whoa, take a chill pill bag-boy! We really were just lying there talking, so don't flip out on her." Dean stared at Jess as though he couldn't even believe he had uttered a word.  
  
"Don't even make me start with you, you little prick! You have no right to even be within viewing distance of Rory! So don't push me, or, or you'll be sorry!" Dean roared at Jess, stressing his last words menacingly, all the while walking so he now stood on Rory's side, towering right in front of Jess, his nostrils flaring with rage. Dean hated Jess, the way he acted with Rory, the way he would smirk at Dean, the way he would act around Rory. He couldn't stand it, it was just too much, and jealously always got the better of him.  
  
Jess raised his eyebrows and chuckled under his breath, pissing off Dean even more  
  
"Ooooh, I'm shaking all over!" Jess said sarcastically making Dean's threat seem ridiculous. "Why don't you try to grow up you overprotective, immature, pompous asshole." Jess said smoothly, in a calm normal voice. Dean snapped.  
  
"Immature pompous asshole?!" Dean repeated in disbelief  
  
"Um…yha." Jess returned mocking him  
  
"You think I'm an immature pompous asshole? Well, then how about I start listing all the things I think you are?! Come on, it'll be fun." Dean spat furiously. Jess just stared, acting as though Dean was telling him about the weather.  
  
"Lets start with 'fucking dumb ass' considering your practically flunking out of high school and because you think you can try and get Rory from me, crack head and drunk fit nicely too, you have an ego that, trust me, is way to large considering your not half the person you think you are, you're a lousy grease boy who flips burgers all day for you uncle, you're a fucking loaner who doesn't have one friend-"  
  
"Dean, stop!" Rory pleaded in disbelief, she had never heard him cursing like that. Rory couldn't stand to watch Jess who stood stoically taking it all in, his face calm, eyebrows raised in mock sarcasm. But she could tell it was getting to him, though his face was a mask, Rory could see the fire burning in his eyes, the pain and furry that was brooding inside him. Unfortunately, Rory's attempt didn't even faze Dean who was oblivious to the coming danger. He simply ignored her and continued  
  
"…oh, wait, is that because no one likes you? No mater, at least your parents do… oh, no, I forgot, they don't either." Dean said with an evil snicker. "I guess you're really just a little… fucking…bastard…"  
  
But Dean never did get any further than that for a moment later, Jess right fist was swinging through the air, and with a sickening crack connected with what was now Dean's freshly broken nose. Dean staggered backwards and crumpled at Rory's feet in a heap of blood. Dean hung his head as he tried to gain his bearings and the blood began to pool in a quivering lake of deep red. Rory felt sick, sick and utterly shocked. Dean started to try and pick himself up, groaning slightly, his hand now holding his nose. His eyes were watering, and blood now streamed down his chin and shirt. Jess looked on, knowing that that hit had a lot more than a moments worth of anger behind it, but rater more like months worth of pent up feelings. But Jess hadn't quite finished venting.  
  
Dean attempted to right him self but Jess hardly gave him a chance before he took another swing, this time hitting where Dean's hand wouldn't be an obstacle, finding clear ground under his left eye. Dean staggered backwards once again, and in the midst of it all couldn't prevent himself from catching his heal on the edge of the bridge and falling backwards into the lake, his face contorted in shock and pain.  
  
Rory, still frozen in the spot watched Dean flounder in the waist high water before turning her stunned gaze on Jess, who stood watching Dean too, massaging his knuckles with his other hand. His expression was not of amusement or of triumph as Rory had expected, but it was rather sullen, hard and depressed. He turned and their eyes locked, it was as though Jess was trying to explain to her, and the simple flash of understanding that passed through the two as they gazed into each others eyes was all that was needed. He let out a heavy breath, his eyes still cold, clenched his jaw and turned, still massaging his hand. His feet sounded on the wood as he retreated, but the sound was droned out by Dean's splashes. Rory, snapping to, quickly turned her attention back to Dean and ran to help him out of the water. She now felt sick with concern; not to mention, the scene of blood was causing her stomach to churn nauseatingly. As Rory helped him up, she felt so confused; it was as though her mind had become a blender of so many emotions, she couldn't even distinguish them anymore.  
  
Dean looked even worse after falling in the water than before as blood now appeared to be streaming down his face like a faucet. His shirt was wet and blood stained, and his eye was already turning into a grotesquely puffy state of purplish black. She helped hall him on to the bridge where he collapsed, half lying, and half sitting. She tried to help him but he pushed her hand away and just sat there dripping with his head back and his nose clamped, his face scrunched in pain.  
  
"Dean," she breathed "Dean are you ok?" Rory asked, truly concerned.  
  
"I'm fine." Dean huffed at her. Rory was a little hurt, but she could hardly blame him.  
  
"Dean, I'm really sorry, I never-" Rory began  
  
"I don't want to hear it now Rory." He said, cold and blunt  
  
An awkward silence hung in the air, as both contemplated their relationship. Neither knew how this was going to affect it, and for Rory, it made her entirely uncomfortable to fathom how much Jess depended on their staying together, or…their breaking up. Rory stood fidgeting nervously and tense, not sure what to do. She was about to try and ask Dean if he was ok again, or just say anything that came to mind; so long as the silence was broken; but she didn't need to, Dean did that first  
  
"I'm going to kill that little punk someday; I'm really going to kill him." Dean said in barely more than a whisper, not to Rory, not to himself, but more just to no one- out loud- like he was stating a promise he had to fulfill.  
  
Dean's comment caused Rory to worry, not that she actually thought Dean would fulfill his threat, she wasn't that unreasonable, it was just a phrase. The thing that bothered her was not what he said, but the way he had said it; his voice hadn't been his, it was weird, different. Not only that, but Rory had noticed that his eyes were dark, how they had seemed to gleem with malice and pure hate. She felt anxious, actually a bit worried for Jess. Rory sighed, she now knew any chance of getting Jess and Dean to get along was completely out of the question. Rory couldn't help but think that she wouldn't be surprised if it just started raining; this weekend couldn't get much worse.  
  
  
  
-------------------------  
  
Rory kicked a stone in the road as she made her way back to her house, head down in thought. Dean had brushed her off and had left to go into town to get cleaned up and his nose looked at, openly admitting he didn't want her to come. Why was Dean blaming Rory for Jess's reaction? Rory felt awful, not only for Dean, but for the fact that she couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic towards Jess, that she actually considered his actions to be somewhat…justified? She was so confused, but one thing she knew for certain was that she was definitely ready to make amends with her mom. She was in desperate need of an ally.  
  
Rory walked in and saw her mom on the couch. Lorelai looked up when she heard Rory, but then returned her attention back to the television.  
  
"Oh, look who finally decided to grace me with their presence." Lorelai said sarcastically, apparently still mad about yesterday. Rory didn't think she could take it. She just walked straight to her mom, sat down and starting yammering apologies,  
  
"Mom, I'm so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, I was being really stupid and I just…I just…I don't know…just everything's been so weird lately and today has been so bad and I just don't know what to think anymore…I just…I'm so sorry, I…I…" but Rory couldn't keep it up, she couldn't stop her self from bursting into tears.  
  
Lorelai stared; a look of shock, then pity graced her face as she watched her daughter's tears of anger, confusion, frustration and pain all flow at once. She quickly gathered the quivering Rory into her arms and sat rocking and whispering to her until her sobbing grew into faint sniffling; Lorelai's anger was long forgotten. It was a silly argument anyways.  
  
  
  
  
  
Please R & R- Thanks, I'll try to post more regularly! - Breanna 


	5. Truth Found In Lies

AN: Thanks again for the great reviews, and once again I apologize for my slowness. This weekend I'll try to write a lot so I can post during the week. -Breanna  
  
  
  
Ch. 5- Truth found in Lies  
  
Jess couldn't help the fact he had hit Dean, nor did he regret it. He didn't care what Dean's reaction, Luke's or the town's reaction would be; he only cared what Rory would think. Would she be mad, think him an asshole, or would she understand? Though Jess worried, he couldn't help but feel a bit reassured when he remembered the look in her eyes before he had left –it had been a look of sympathy and understanding. Jess sat in the middle of the floor, with Metallic blaring in the background and Fountainhead in his hand that was resting in his lap. Letting out a grunt of frustration, he flung the book away from him. He just sat, staring at the book, propped up at an odd angle against the box it had hit when he had tossed it. It wasn't that the book was bad or boring, quite the contrary. It was the simple fact that whenever he picked it up to read, he would think of her, of Rory, and then he never got anything done. He hated the fact that she had control over him like that, that she controlled his thoughts, and that she didn't even know it. Jess wondered if he had ever found his way into any of her thoughts apart from simply connecting him with the dinner. Jess sighed and went to find another book, it was doubtful she did he thought.  
  
As Rory sat on the couch watching an I Love Lucy marathon and eating ice- cream with her mom, she couldn't help but wonder if things would be different if Dean wasn't in the picture. Would she and Jess be more than just friends? But, there was no point in thinking about things like that, Dean was in the picture, end of story. In bed, Rory spent yet another sleepless night, her mind running through the day's events, wondering and worrying what would happen to Jess…oh, and to Dean. What would happen if she had to take sides? She felt Jess was somewhat justified in hitting Dean the first time, but had the second time been necessary? Even though Jess might have gotten a bit carried away, there was no doubt in her mind that what Dean had said to Jess was completely uncalled for. He was being way to overprotective, and it bothered her. But did she support her boyfriend who she didn't agree with or should she support her, her, her… what was Jess to her? Just a friendish acquaintance? An actual friend? More than a friend? No, he definitely wasn't more than a friend, definitely not. But Rory couldn't ignore the annoying little voice in the back of her head telling her that maybe; just maybe she wanted him to be more than a friend. Just maybe.  
  
  
  
Monday Morning  
  
Beep! Beep! Beep! Bee-  
  
Rory slammed her hand down on the snooze button on her alarm clock.  
  
She groaned and rolled on her back, scrunching her eyes tight  
  
"This is not happening…not happening!" she moaned out loud  
  
"Oh, yes, it definitely is!" Rory heard Lorelai's unmistakable voice from outside her door.  
  
"Come on, get up, you've overslept again." She said as she made her way into Rory's room, squinting in the gloom.  
  
"Great! I'm going to be late for school! Why didn't you get me up sooner?" Rory cried, for the first time actually seeing the numbers on the clock not in a blur  
  
"Because I like to see you freak." Lorelai grinned mischievously.  
  
"Mom!" Rory said  
  
"No, I was only joking. I over slept too." She said taking a sip of the coffee cup in her hand. She brought her hand back down and peered into the cup, her nose wrinkled.  
  
"Bad?" Rory questioned  
  
"Yup." She answered  
  
"Luke's?" Rory questioned  
  
"Definitely. Come on, get up or you really will be late."  
  
"What do you mean? I already am."  
  
"No, you aren't, not yet anyways. I lied again; I set your clock forward." Lorelai smiled clearing away from Rory's reach  
  
"What! Why!" Rory said shocked but a bit relived she wouldn't be late  
  
"'Cuse I really do like to see you freak." Lorelai laughed as she hurried out of the room as Rory groaned  
  
"You really are evil, you know that?" Rory said after her, shaking her head and getting up to dress.  
  
  
  
At Luke's Dinner  
  
"Lukey! I need coffee! Good, yummy, coffee and you're the good, yummy coffee man who's-" Lorelai called out as she walked in. But she stopped abruptly, no response followed.  
  
Rory came in too and nearly ran right in to her mom.  
  
"Mom! Move! You're blocking the door. You know the entrance that…oh." Rory stopped as she heard the voices in the back ground. She poked her head around her mom and saw that one belonged to Jess the other to Luke, and both were yelling.  
  
"What the hell do you mean he deserved it Jess!" Luck yelled  
  
"I mean he deserved it." Jess yelled back  
  
"God damn it, you're going to have to come up with a lot better excuse than that! You broke his frickin nose and I don't think 'he deserved it' is exactly gonna to fly!"  
  
"I could give a rat's ass what flys and what doesn't" Jess retorted  
  
"Well, say that to the town not me" Luke said  
  
"What are you talking about?" Jess asked in a condescending and annoyed manor  
  
"I'm talking about the town meeting they've decided to hold in honor of you!" Luke responded, pointing his finger at Jess while he spoke  
  
"A town meeting?" Jess asked amused  
  
"Yep." Luke nodded, anger still in his voice  
  
"About me?" Jess said, now positively smirking  
  
"Right again." Luke said sarcastically  
  
"This town really is pathetic." Jess shook his head, chuckling under his breath. He turned, heading for the door, but Luke grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back  
  
"Get off!" Jess said, grabbing his shirt back  
  
Rory and Lorelai had by now inched their way in and were sitting at a table, watching silently. The other few customers sat too, silent but still eating. Rory noticed Patty sitting by Kirk, neither touching there food but staring too. Rory could now guess where Luke had gotten the news from, or rater from whom he had gotten it.  
  
  
  
"I'm not done talking to you." Luke said removing his hand  
  
Jess angrily sighed and leaned against the counter. "So talk."  
  
"You beating the crap out of people is something I simply won't tolerate. I can take your little pranks and the stupid things you do to screw yourself up, but I won't let you go around and start laying into other people."  
  
"It's not like I didn't have a good reason!" Jess said back "You can't act like I go around and just randomly beat the shit out of people because it's good for my cardio or some bull like that."  
  
"Don't get smart on me! This situation isn't looking very good for you."  
  
"Gee, thanks for the heads up Luke." Jess sarcastically said  
  
"The fact remains that Dean has a broken nose, a black eye, and you have not a scratch on you."  
  
"Look, he provoked me; do you really think I would waste my time with an ass like that if I didn't have a good reason?" Jess said in disbelief  
  
"Hell, Jess, I don't know what you would or wouldn't do, and frankly, I don't want to wait around until you decide to make that clear to me." Luke said to him  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Jess asked  
  
"It means that I don't trust you or you little story." Luke responded  
  
"I can't believe this!" Jess yelled and then muttered something under his breath that Rory didn't catch  
  
"Well, you better believe it because until I get the truth and not that 'Dean cussed me out' shit you're going with, you're not doing shit. You won't leave the dinner, there will be no TV, phone, or…"Luke thought for a moment "…or reading. Just school and work." Jess's face had remained indifferent to the other items of punishment, but when Luke uttered the last one, Jess flipped  
  
"You're a real asshole Luke! Why did I have to come live with you?" Jess roared  
  
"Yha, well, say what you want, its not like I wanted your lying little punk ass any more than you wanted to be with me." Luke flamed back, neither of them thinking before speaking  
  
"Fuck Luke! I'm not lying!" Jess yelled  
  
"And why the hell should I believe you?!" Luke retorted, his voice equally loud  
  
"Because…" Rory started, as everyone turned to stare at her, "because…Jess isn't lying Luke." She spoke quietly, now standing and her heart pumping very fast. Lorelai sat stunned behind her, while Luke and Jess just stared.  
  
"What?" Luke stammered  
  
"Jess is telling the truth. Dean did provoke him, he did cuss him out, and he disserved what he got. I was there, I would know." Rory said nervously.  
  
Jess couldn't believe it; he was shocked that she admitted she was there, let alone saying that Dean deserved it. But, he also knew that this meant that she would have to explain why Dean deserved what he got, and why Dean did what he did. Worst of all he realized this meant that she would have to explain why she was there, and this meant telling about her and Jess being together, something he knew she wasn't eager to share. He wasn't the only one that figured out Rory had some explaining to do though. Rory turned as Lorelai decided to get involved too.  
  
"What do you mean you were there?" She asked confused  
  
"I was with- one on the bridge sitting, and Jess, then, talking, and Dean, fought, blood, and the water…" Rory nervously stammered out, knowing this made no sense.  
  
"Rory, what were you doing on the bridge and why did Dean and Jess get in a fight?" Lorelai said, her voice a little annoyed  
  
"I was…uh…" Rory started nervously, she never should have said a word  
  
"She was sitting and eating breakfast," Jess said taking over for a gratefully shocked Rory. Now everyone turned to stare at Jess, their food long gone cold.  
  
"so I came over and started to talk to her. We talked for a while, but she was uncomfortable and wanted to go. I convinced her to stay, I didn't mind talking with her, and neither of us had anything better to do. So she did, and then Dean came and saw us lying there together." Jess breathed and continued. "It was nothing, I was just bored, Rory is one of the only interesting people to talk to, and that's why I asked her to stay even though she wanted to go. It was my fault and Dean just got really pissed off because I was with her. He took it all the wrong way and assumed too much of the situation." Jess finished and looked up. Rory was staring intently at him, admiration and affection in her gaze.  
  
Luke looked back and forth between Jess and Rory, trying to size up just how accurate the story was. Behind Rory, Lorelai was doing the same thing. The only difference was that Lorelai had a feeling Jess had sugar-coated the story, for Rory's sake.  
  
"Is that what happened?" Lorelai questioned, knowing Rory's answer wasn't going to be truthful  
  
"Yha, that's pretty much what happened." Rory responded looking at her shoes  
  
Lorelai nodded, a bit disappointed.  
  
Luke studied Jess carefully. Jess turned and stared at him, his eyes narrowing  
  
"What? Was that story not good enough for you? What is it going to take until you believe me, a typed out dialogue of what we said?" He asked Luke sarcastically, and a bit pissed off Luke still didn't believe him.  
  
"No…Jess, I'm sorry I didn't believe you, but did you really expect me to go just on your word?" Luke asked, still a little upset, and still feeling Jess was not totally honest  
  
"No, I guess I just hoped you would." Jess said simply.  
  
"Humm, looks like I was wrong." He finished a touch of hurt in his voice, attempted to be concealed by a sarcastic tone.  
  
He turned and began to walk to the door, and this time Luke didn't try to stop him. Rory, still standing watched him grab his coat and go out the door, then turn down the street. She turned to her mom and glanced at her watch.  
  
"Um, mom, I really am going to be late now."  
  
Lorelai just nodded and handed Rory the keys to the jeep without even a comment.  
  
"You'll be ok to get to work then?" Rory asked, now knowing her mom didn't quite believe Jess's version of the incident.  
  
  
  
Lorelai just nodded. Rory felt horrible, but she supposed it was better that only her mom knew, and not the whole town. The other customers had gone back to their own business by now, and Luke was already bussing himself in the kitchen. Rory hated the look in her mom's eyes, a mix between betrayal and anger.  
  
"Mom..." Rory started to whisper, then sighed and turned to leave.  
  
Rory headed down the street, but passed the parked jeep and continued. She began to walk faster, and then half jog to catch Jess as he quickly made his way down the street. She saw him turn off the main street, down some random block. By the time she caught him, they were already halfway down the street.  
  
"Jess!" She called out  
  
He turned and stopped, waiting for her to catch up. As soon as she did, he kept walking, Rory keeping pace besides him.  
  
"Why did you do it?" Rory asked flatly. Jess glanced sidelong at her and remained silent for a bit before answering.  
  
"Do what?" He asked pretending not to know what she was talking about  
  
"Come on Jess, you know what I'm talking about." She said annoyed "Why did you do that back there, why did you help me like that?" She asked  
  
Jess looked forward again before answering  
  
"Because everyone hates me in this stupid town already, who cares if I'm the subject of their loathing again?" Jess said back  
  
"And that's it." Rory prodded further  
  
"That's it." Jess responded  
  
"No other reason?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"None?"  
  
Jess stopped abruptly and stared at her.  
  
"None. Why…do you want there to be another reason?" He said, raising an eyebrow enticingly  
  
"No!" Rory said quickly, hoping she was a decent liar.  
  
"Ok, fine Rory," he said, not convinced at all, "did you want to hear that I did it because I care about you?" He asked staring intently at her.  
  
"No, I didn't Jess, but you don't have to lie to try and make me feel better." Rory said irritated, not meeting his gaze.  
  
"Who said I was lying?" Jess asked mater-a-factly  
  
Rory's stomach gave a jolt as she snapped up her gaze up to meet his. Once again, she couldn't read those eyes. They just stood, staring at one another.  
  
"You…you weren't?" Rory asked tentatively  
  
He clenched his jaw, and angrily responded  
  
"No, I wasn't, but what the fuck does it matter?" Jess took one more look at her, then turned and continued down the street.  
  
"Jess, wh…what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Rory called out desperately at his retreating back  
  
"Why don't you go ask bag-boy? Maybe he can help clear that up for you." Jess shouted over his shoulder, jealously and anger in his voice.  
  
  
  
Rory slowly made her way back to her car, feeling horrible. She ended up missing half of first period.  
  
*Please R&R and tell me what you think. Thanks* 


	6. Foreign Feelings

AN: Please R&R, it keeps me going! A lot of R/J, so enjoy.  
  
  
  
Chapter 6- Foreign Feelings  
  
Rory rolled over and got out of bed. Only Tuesday, this was going to be a very long week. She couldn't believe that Jess had admitted that he had cared about her. While that didn't mean his feelings went any further, Rory still couldn't help but feel a little hopeful. Even though she knew she shouldn't be, Jess saying that to her had made her really think about Dean and their relationship. He had called last night. He had started off by demanding an explanation, and after she gave him the same one she had given him on the bridge, he agreed to it, but their conversation was quite trite after. He had told her his nose was definitely broken, he had a bandage on it to keep it from going crooked. He hadn't been pleased when Rory got all excited and asked him if it was like the one Rocky had had his nose bandaged with. He had told her that his eye was a bit better too, not as swollen. That had pretty much been the extent of their conversation, not that it bothered Rory that it wasn't very long.  
  
She sighed as she got up, surprisingly her alarm clock hadn't even gone off yet, but it would have only been a matter of minutes anyway. She made her way to her dresser and lethargically put on her uniform. After she brushed her hair and put on a bit of makeup, she went up the stairs to Lorelai's room; no surprise she was still asleep. Rory, deciding it was time for a little revenge, ripped off her sheets. Lorelai sprang up and looked around dazedly  
  
"What the…" She asked to no one sleepily  
  
"Morning mother dear." Rory cooed sarcastically  
  
"Oh, good one. I guess I had that coming."  
  
"You most certainly did." Rory responded smiling. "Hurry up, I want coffee before school."  
  
"K," she stifled a yawn "I'll meet yha down stairs in a sec."  
  
"Ok." Rory said. She was half way out the door before she turned back and snatched Lorelai's pillow away.  
  
"Extra precaution." She said waving it as she scampered out the door  
  
"Oh no fair, I definitely didn't have that coming!" Lorelai pouted at Rory's retreating back.  
  
Lorelai flopped back down, her head lying flat. She stayed there for a minute then said out loud  
  
"Damn." She sighed and rolled out of bed and on to the floor, bringing a few blankets with her.  
  
Downstairs, Rory was packing her books up into her backpack. Then she remembered, today they were doing a presentation on what they felt was an inspiring book about society. Rory had planned to bring in The Fountainhead, but her hard cover copy wasn't fitting in her bag. She decided to bring it with her and trade it with Jess when she got to Luke's for the soft cover version she had lent him. But did she really want to see Jess? She did, but it would be awkward, especially considering the town meeting was tonight, she didn't know how to act around him. She sighed, she wasn't going to have much of a choice; she needed the book.  
  
Five minutes later, Lorelai came bounding down the stairs in a cute blue skirt and a tight white top.  
  
"Ready?" Rory asked  
  
"That pillow thing was really uncalled for!" Lorelai said and snatched up her pillow that was lying on the kitchen counter.  
  
"No, it was absolutely necessary to insure I don't get another tardy two days in a row." Rory eyed her mother  
  
"You could always just tell them that I had a choking attack, or that I got hit on the head by flying concrete clumps." Lorelai smiled  
  
"Sadly, neither sounds unlikely. Only problem is that they would just get mad at you for holding me up, and I'd still get marked late."  
  
"Oh, I hate your fascias school." Lorelai said narrowing her eyes as she went to grab her coat  
  
"Really? I'm starting to warm up to Mussolini, and the swastika is actually very cute as a clothes patch." Rory chimed behind her mother.  
  
"It's a good thing we live in Stars Hollow." Lorelai sighed as they headed toward the jeep  
  
"Oh, about that, I was wondering if Patty would let me barrow out her dance center for our weekly NYG meetings."  
  
"If you're about to say that that is the Nazi Youth Group, I will make sure you have a very tragic coffee free day…"  
  
"Oh, no fair,"  
  
"unless you let me make your outfits. I think since the Nazi private militia were the Brownshirts, a shade of brown would be the most appropriate, but the hats, oh, I could make really neat hats..." Lorelai babbled grinning  
  
"Well, I suppose we could work that out, but first I have to talk to my other designers before I make any decisions." Rory said  
  
"Well fine then, ruin all my fun." Lorelai pretended to pout  
  
  
  
In the car  
  
"So, I'll come home a little early tonight, so don't go to the meeting without me." Lorelai started  
  
"Oh, I'm not going tonight." Rory responded off handedly  
  
"What? You have to." Lorelai responded stunned  
  
"No I don't."  
  
"Uh…yes, you do."  
  
"Uh…no, I don't."  
  
"Look, you're the one that admitted to being a witness, so you have to go." Lorelai said now a little annoyed.  
  
"I know I did, but I shouldn't have even said a word."  
  
"Oh, well, the 'shoulda woulda cuda' tactic never gets you anywhere. I know that from experience. Like the time I shoulda not eaten that pizza that had been in the fridge for a couple of days."  
  
"Couple of weeks." Rory smiled at her mom  
  
"Ok, weeks old, even better, I shoula not eaten it, but I did."  
  
"Thanks mom, you always know how to clear things up."  
  
"No problemo."  
  
"I still don't want to go."  
  
"Well, unfortunately, you lost the right do what you want. You have to go. Taylor's practically subpoenaed you."  
  
"Figures. Why are they making such a big deal out of this anyway?"  
  
"Oh come on, it's obvious."  
  
"Oh is it? Care to elaborate?"  
  
"Quite certainly. The town hates Jess, what better way to make him leave than to charge him with battery or something that they will probably make up."  
  
"That is so unfair!" Rory stammered in disbelief  
  
"It is? From where I stand their complaints seem quite justified." Lorelai returned  
  
"I figured you'd say that. You don't know him, the town doesn't know him. No one even care's enough to try and get to know him, but yet they still judge him." Rory said annoyed  
  
"Honey, the meeting doesn't start until 7. You don't need to make your case to me."  
  
"Ha-ha." Rory said sarcastically  
  
"Well, it looks like you've already got your mind made up."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Rory, maybe you should think twice about what defending Jess can lead to."  
  
"Oh, whoa, who said I'm defending Jess!"  
  
"Well, if you don't want to give off the wrong impression, I wouldn't recommend the  
  
'you don't know him, but he's a real nice guy' tactic.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yha."  
  
"Uggg, this sucks! If I go, anything I say is going to hurt someone."  
  
"I know, you're just going to have to make up the decision who."  
  
"Any advice?"  
  
"Sorry babe, this is one you need to do on your own."  
  
Rory sighed and stared out the window.  
  
  
  
Luke's  
  
  
  
"Rory, I've got to get to the inn a little early today, so do you mind if I take the car?" Lorelai asked  
  
"Well, I don't know, I'm not very used to taking the bus…could lead to some trouble…" Rory said sarcastically  
  
"Ok, ok, I just didn't want you to be late again."  
  
"I'm fine; we're actually a little…" Rory glanced at her watch "on schedule!"  
  
"Really?  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Amazing."  
  
"I know, it's almost too hard to fathom."  
  
The two walked in and headed towards the counter.  
  
"Luke, I need some coffee to go." Lorelai called out as Rory took a seat at the counter  
  
"You're early," he said looking at the clock, "why do you need it to go?" He asked, not making any step to pour her a cup  
  
"Because I know that by the time I get you to give it to me, I won't be early anymore."  
  
Lorelai said.  
  
Rory sighed. Their flirting always took a while  
  
"Sorry to interrupt, but Luke, I'll have some blueberry pancakes, and where is Jess? I need to get a book back I lent him." She added quickly as Luke and Lorelai both eyed her suspiciously  
  
"Ok, and up stairs." He said and then turned back to Lorelai  
  
"I'm not giving you any; I don't want to be held responsible for your death."  
  
"But I've been good today! I've already volunteered to help Rory's Nazi Youth Group out. I'm making their uniforms!" Lorelai whined at Luke and glanced, smiling at Rory as she headed up the stairs. Rory heard Luke go on about how sickening Lorelai was until she reached the top and couldn't make out what they were saying anymore.  
  
Upstairs  
  
  
  
"Jess?" She knocked. No answer  
  
"Jess!" still no answer.  
  
Maybe he was asleep, she could just grab the book; it was probably just lying around somewhere. She tried the door, it was open. She tentatively stepped in. It was a mess, but better than before. There was a huge tarp up on the left side, where they were expanding the room. It was light inside, the blinds were open, and Jess's bed was empty.  
  
Not seeing Jess she started to look for her book. It was odd though, there was a big pile of clothes and a half full duffle bag by his bed. He must still be unpacking she thought. Just then though, a nose across the room caught her attention  
  
Jess opened the bathroom door and walked out only a white bath towel tied around his waste, his dark hair slick and wet, his body beaded with water. Steam issued out the door as he saw Rory looking around his books.  
  
"Can I help you?" He asked humorously  
  
Rory looked up. She felt her heart skip a beat, and for a second just stared at him. She had always thought he was good looking, but she had never imagined he would look this good with his shirt off. Not that she had ever imagined that, no, never, but if she had…wow. Rory felt her face turn red as she tried to stammer out that she was looking for a book. Rory couldn't seem help the trip her eyes made down the length of his body, hovering over his chest and abs. He was perfect. She shot her gaze back up to his eyes, hoping he hadn't caught her little eye excursion. Jess couldn't help but smile at her and raise his eyebrows. 'Damn, he saw me' she thought nervously. She quickly brought her eyes back down to the floor and began to 'look' for her book. She could feel how hot her face was.  
  
"I…I…was, ah, trying to find, my uh, book." She was able to stammer out now that she wasn't looking right at him  
  
"Which one?" He asked, thoroughly entertained by her reaction on seeing practically naked.  
  
"Uh, the Fountainhead." She responded, not looking up  
  
"Oh, this one?" he asked  
  
She turned as he bent over and picked it up. Straightening, his towel slipped and he caught it with is free hand just in time. Holding his towel in one hand and sheepishly grinning, he tossed her the book with the other. Turning so he wasn't facing her, he retied his towel so he would have to hold it as Rory blushed fiercely behind him.  
  
"What do you think your doing, taking a…a shower at a time like, like this, not to mention with the door unlocked?" Rory said frantically, embarrassed he was creating such a big effect on her. An unexplainable sensation had come over her; she wanted to touch him, to feel him. 'Oh my god, this is not good, I've have to get out of here!' She thought  
  
"Um, Rory, its 7:30 in the morning. That's about what time normal people take showers." Jess responded smiling again as he turned back around  
  
"Oh…yha." Rory said quietly. "Well thanks for the book, here's the hard copy if you still want to read it." She said, tossing the other book on his bed  
  
Jess just smiled at her contently  
  
"Stop smiling like that!" she ordered him trying to be serious  
  
"Oh, sorry." He said laughing. "How about this?" He smiled even bigger  
  
"It's the same only bigger!" she laughed too, but a nervous embarrassed laugh  
  
"I do believe I am making you blush Ms. Gilmore." Jess said  
  
"No! It…it's just really hot in here." She tried to lie  
  
"Right, well, if it will make it so I can actually talk to you without you acting all weird…"  
  
He paused and picked up a pair of boxers and pants. He turned again and put the boxers on with the towel still tied around his waste. Then he took that off as Rory tried hard not to watch, but it was to no avail- and then he slipped on his pants. Turning back around as he buttoned them up, he was practically showing half of his boxers anyway.  
  
"Better?" He asked smiling again  
  
'No' Rory thought guiltily, 'you have more on.'  
  
"Yha, fine."  
  
She was just grateful he still hadn't put on a shirt. 'Rory! Stop!' she said to herself. She now watched as he grabbed the towel and began to dry his hair with it.  
  
"So, still unpacking?" Rory asked, eyeing the duffle bag, her voice still a little uneasy.  
  
Jess paused and put down the towel. His expression grew a little hard and his smile vanished. He then grabbed a shirt much to her dismay and slipped it on over his head.  
  
"Uh, yha, something like that." He said now not meeting her gaze, his voice a bit distant  
  
"Something like that?" she questioned  
  
"Um, yha." He tried to avoid answering  
  
"Isn't that your Matalica shirt, and your vest?" She asked suspiciously looking closer at the actually items in his bag  
  
"Oh, gee, how'd they get in there?" Jess asked sarcastically  
  
"Jess…are, are you going somewhere?" She asked, her brow furrowed and hurt in her  
  
voice.  
  
"Look, right now I don't have much of a choice."  
  
"What do you mean you don't have much of a choice? Did you get kicked out of school or something?" Rory asked, a bit worried  
  
"Well, no, I haven't been kicked out of school, not yet anyways. But I have been by the town, it's not official yet, but it will be by tonight. Just thought I'd get a head start on packing." Jess said and stared at Rory who stood there confused  
  
"Rory, don't you get it, they were just waiting until I did something that they could really get mad about, something they could have leverage with. No matter what you or I or anyone else says tonight at the meeting, the fact will remain that I beat the shit out of Dean, quote 'unprovoked.'" Jess said seriously.  
  
"But that's not true Jess, and you know it." Rory said desperately  
  
"I know I do, and I know that they all know it too, but this still gives them a good reason to finally get me out of here. I've made sure to go as close to the line as possible without crossing it in every thing else I've done, but with Dean, because of you, I, I couldn't help but cross it. I didn't mean to lose control, but I did Rory, I did, and they all know it." Jess  
  
breathed  
  
"What do you mean because of me? What did I do?" Rory said in disbelief  
  
"You, you pretended like you cared." He said quietly as he looked up at her.  
  
"When Dean exploded at you like that, I didn't care if I crossed the line anymore; you never deserved what he said to you because he never deserved you." Jess stared at her intently  
  
Rory now felt her heart beating fast again. She didn't know that was really why he had hit Dean, she had had no idea. She also realized that he was right, that he would have to go. It wasn't because the town could physically kick him out; they could order Luke to get rid of him. Jess could stay, but Luke's business would collapse. Not only that, but if they had to they could even get the police involved, Dean could press charges, it just wasn't worth him staying; and he knew it. Rory had no idea what she was doing, but suddenly, the next moment her feet were caring her towards him  
  
"Jess…I don't want you to go." She whispered as wrapped her arms tightly around his body.  
  
Jess stood, taken aback, but then cradled her with his arms too. She laid her head on his shoulder, and he breathed in her sweet shampoo. He could feel her heart against his chest, it was pounding so fast. Rory felt so good in his arms, the way he held her, how good it felt just to be close to him. He felt his body tingling at her touch, upset he had decided to put his shirt back on. 'Oh god' he thought, 'why do things have to be like this!'  
  
They stood there for a minute before Jess pulled her back.  
  
"Rory" he said looking at her, "I don't want to go either, but I have to. You know what will happen to Luke and to his dinner if I don't. He doesn't deserve that."  
  
"I know." She whispered  
  
Jess sighed and looked at her seriously  
  
"You need to support Dean tonight." He told her  
  
"What?" Rory said, "why?'  
  
"Because Rory, no matter what you say, it won't help, and it would be better to avoid an argument with Dean, and the town." Jess struggled to admit  
  
"But, I don't want to!"  
  
"God Rory, it doesn't matter!"  
  
"But it should!"  
  
"But it doesn't!"  
  
Rory turned and brushed away the tear that was trying to make an appearance  
  
"Well then, I'd better go eat, my foods probably cold now anyway." Rory turned to go  
  
"Yha. I got to finish getting dressed." Jess replied  
  
Rory turned and picked up her book before heading out the door. Jess stood and watched her. As she went out the door, she looked straight into his eyes once more before shutting it with a snap. Rory sighed and went down the stairs. She was so confused, the way he had made her feel, how softly he had held her; it sort of reminded her of how things had been with Dean. But still, it was different, a different feeling. It wasn't just the tingly sensation on the outside, but a feeling in the pit of her stomach, a feeling that was foreign to her completely. She paused on the steeps, finally understanding. It was the feeling of love. And now he was leaving.  
  
  
  
More soon! Don't worry, just please Review and I'll post ASAP - Breanna 


	7. Meetings, Tears and Roses

AN: Hi, sorry this post took so long, I've had an extremely busy week. One thing to note, I made up Dean's last name, I said it was Thompson, just to avoid any ambiguity there on that point. Hope you enjoy, and please Review, I can't say how much I appreciated your reviews from last time, it really helps!  
  
  
  
Chapter 7: Meetings, Tears and Roses  
  
  
  
School went by painfully fast. Rory hated that when you were dreading something, time always seems to be your worst enemy; the clocks always seem to move twice as fast. In no time, Rory was already getting off the bus back into Stars Hollow. She walked straight by Luke's, not even glancing in, she didn't think she could do it. If Jess was there, and she saw him, there was no way she would be able to concentrate on her homework. Only problem was that this plan didn't work either; trying to not think about him only made her think about him even more, resulting in a very frustrated Rory, two hours later with only five of her math problems done. Life was cruel.  
  
By the time 6:20 rolled around, Rory was getting frantic. The town meeting was only 40 minutes away, and she still hadn't made up her mind on what to do yet. Maybe she could fake choking, a fever, a bowl movement? She was getting desperate. To keep busy she heated up some of the leftover Chinese in the fridge. At 6:45, her plate hadn't been touched, it was now cold, and Rory sat, quite upset. What the real splinter in her head was from was that she knew supporting Dean was the only thing to do, but it wasn't the right thing to do. At last, at 6:52, she came to the coconscious to speak only when spoken to and to say as little as possible. That was the only way to do it, the only way she could make it through the night.  
  
As Lorelai and Rory made their way to the meeting, Lorelai looked over at Rory, seeing her face stiff, and her body tense. She wished she could make her feel better, but she knew nothing she said could help. Her daughter was a moral person, and now Dean was becoming a question of morality, and it was taking a toile on Rory.  
  
"Hun, I know this is hard, but don't worry, I'll be behind yha. I wont let anyone give you crap about it, 'cuse if they do, you can be sure I'll ripe um a new one." Lorelai said, trying to keep her voice cheery  
  
"Thanks mom." Rory said looking up at her and smiling feebly  
  
"Oh, and we can hire Luke as your body guard! Just think, protection and portable coffee! Its perfect, maybe you should get people to go after you…" Lorelai started, but then paused looking at her expression  
  
"Or Taylor, though not nearly as charming, he does have a tendency to make a wide birth in crowds, I don't think may people would come near." Lorelai rambled on, a grin on her face  
  
"Humm, I think if things become drastic we'll have to go with Luke. Besides, you certainly wouldn't mind him around all the time." Rory smiled, a first since the morning, and poked her mom in the ribs  
  
"Oh, that was so not funny Rory. I am not fraternizing with the coffee man!" Lorelai said back defensively  
  
"Practically…" Rory said under her breath  
  
"What was that? Did I hear a practically? Did I hear that you want to sleep outside tonight?" Lorelai teased  
  
"Oh, no, it was ah…a…Possibly! Like I could possibly believe you?" Rory said grinning now too.  
  
"Oh, ok, I guess you can sleep in the car now." Lorelai said  
  
"I'm touched at your show of consideration." Rory sarcastically replied  
  
"Well you should be." Lorelai said nodding  
  
They walked a bit further, and upon seeing the town center, Lorelai turned  
  
"You ready?" concern in her voice  
  
"No, but I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Rory sighed, her smile gone  
  
"You'll be fine babe, and don't worry, I'll work things out with Luke ahead of time, just incase a mob riot springs up. Things like that are freakishly common in Stars Hollow." Lorelai told her, a last attempt at humor  
  
"I'll remember that..." Rory trailed of, staring ahead  
  
  
  
At the meeting  
  
  
  
As Rory and Lorelai entered the meeting, three minutes late, everyone turned to stare. Rory saw Jess off to the side by Luke; they looked at one another before Jess shook his head and broke the eye contact. Rory got the message, sighed, and sat down with her mom in the back.  
  
"Well, that you for joining us ladies, late as usual." Taylor sarcastically  
  
"At least were consistent." Lorelai fired back to a disgruntled Taylor who just groaned. Miss Patty smiled behind his back  
  
"Ok, now that were all here, I'd like to start the meeting." Taylor said and banged the gavel down.  
  
"Our first topic of discussion…" Rory held her breath "is concerning the coming spring decorations." Rory sighed relived  
  
"Some of us here," Taylor looked directly at Luke "do not wish to put up decorations. May I remind everyone that it is a part of Stars Hollow tradition to do so?" Taylor said stressing the 'everyone' and causing Luke to roll his eyes and cross his arms.  
  
"As a part of our tradition, the Easter festival is approaching soon, and this is a big tourist attraction. In order to create the most festive and inviting small town environment possible, it is…" Taylor refrained from using mandatory "highly encouraged, that all citizens participate and do their part to contribute to the festivities."  
  
Luke just stared at him  
  
"Ok, moving on," Taylor said annoyed, "our next topic of discussion concerns the battering of one citizen on another." Taylor said  
  
Jess clenched his jaw and sighed angrily  
  
"I'm sure it is quite well known," Taylor said glancing at Patty who smiled "that that young hoodlum," Taylor pointed to Jess and everyone turned to stare at him "was responsible for attacking this nice boy here." Taylor pointed to Dean, and everyone turned back around to look at him.  
  
"I'm sure I am correct in saying that the rest of the town strongly feels that Mr. Mariano has taken his little jokes a bit too far this time. This young man," Taylor said now addressing Jess, "might be considered normal and okay in New York, but around here it is simply not tolerated." Taylor said firmly, and many nodded in agreement.  
  
"Taylor, you don't even know what really happened!" Luke fumed, "how do you know bag- Dean" Luke caught himself, "is telling the truth?"  
  
"Well Luke, are you suggesting I take the word of your nephew instead?" Taylor spat back  
  
"I'm just saying you shouldn't take either of their words over the other, they both see things differently." Luke returned  
  
"Very well, Ms. Gilmore," Taylor turned to Rory and she felt a lump rise in her throat "I believe by an account of some information I received, you to were a witness of the transactions between Mr. Mariano and Mr. Thompson on Sunday. Is this true?" Taylor asked  
  
"Um…" Rory coughed, "um, yes, I was." She was now growing more nervous than ever.  
  
The few people who hadn't heard the news from Miss Patty bowed their heads and whispered to each other giving Rory the strange impression of a gas leak.  
  
"And…what happened?" Taylor prompted  
  
Rory glanced over at Jess, his gaze stayed fixed to some spot on the floor, and he didn't look up. She turned back and realized Dean was staring intently at her, and for the first time since Sunday, she saw the extent of Jess' damage, it was pretty bad. In all her nervousness, Rory almost couldn't help but snickering, Dean's nose bandage really was just like the one in Rocky.  
  
Reverting her gaze back to Taylor, who waited impatiently for her response, Rory sighed and continued  
  
"Jess and Dean got in a fight." She said, remembering to say only as much that was necessary to answer the question  
  
"And why did they get in a fight?" Rory felt like she was being cross- examined  
  
"Because Dean got mad."  
  
"Why did Dean get mad?"  
  
"Because I was talking to Jess." Rory saw Dean roll his eyes  
  
"And so…Dean…" Taylor prompted  
  
"Started yelling at Jess."  
  
"And saying…"  
  
"Things I probably shouldn't repeat…" Rory trailed off  
  
"Ah, and so Jess did what?"  
  
"He, uh, hit Dean."  
  
"Once?"  
  
"Twice." Rory said quietly  
  
"What?"  
  
"Twice." Rory said louder  
  
"Did Dean continue to say not nice things to him after Jess hit him the first time?" Taylor asked  
  
"No."  
  
"So the second hit it was…unprovoked?"  
  
Rory paused before answering "…you…you could say that…"  
  
"Yes, I could. So let me get this straight, Jess hit Dean, not once, but twice, because Dean made fun of him?" Taylor questioned sarcastically  
  
"yes."  
  
"And, Ms. Gilmore, do you feel that Mr. Mariano's reaction to the taunts made by Mr. Thompson was a justified one?"  
  
Rory hesitated. She looked over at Jess, and he looked up at her. Jess stared at her intently and mouthed 'no' silently to her. Rory frowned at him, but he kept his gaze firm, shaking his head in the negative.  
  
Rory took a big breath, deciding it was now or never  
  
"no"  
  
Lorelai gripped Rory's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, and Dean smiled smugly, nodding his head. She then saw him turn and smirk at Jess. She felt the anger, then guilt flare up in her like a fire, she shouldn't have said that.  
  
"Very well, I think that now with this testimony of a bipartisan witness we can all agree that the actions taken by Jess Mariano were quite ruthless and unnecessary, and will not be permitted in this town. If we are all in conscientious, I motion to demand the removal of this boy to an area of more suitable location." Taylor said satisfied at finally getting his revenge on Jess.  
  
Rory sat down and seemed to hear the virtually unanimous course of voices all chirp "Ay" as though it were all happening far off, and then Taylor's bang of the gavel which seemed to echo soundly in her head. Jess was gone, and she alone had made that decision, no matter what he had said otherwise.  
  
Rory couldn't look at Jess, and she waited until all the people had filled out before getting up to leave. Outside, her mom was waiting, and standing next to her was Dean. She sighed; he was the last person she wanted to talk to, let alone see right now.  
  
"Honey, I'll met you at home, don't be too long." She said to Rory, missing the pleading 'don't leave me' stare Rory was so desperately trying to convey.  
  
"…Ok…" she said as she watched her moms back retreat into the darkness.  
  
"So, you were great in there." Dean said smiling; creating a very strange similarity to what she had always pictured Victor Frankenstein's creation to look like. She shuddered as she looked down at her shoes.  
  
He lifted her chin and bent to kiss her. Repulsed, she shrank back and avoided his lips.  
  
"What's wrong Rory? Don't worry, you did the right thing. Now that asshole is gone for good." Dean said with a cruel satisfied smile.  
  
Rory couldn't take it any longer, she just exploded  
  
"NO Dean! I didn't do the right thing! You were the asshole, not Jess, and you deserved everything you got!" Rory spat at him  
  
Dean froze for a moment before regaining composure.  
  
"What! Did you just call me an…an asshole Rory?" Dean said in disbelief  
  
"Yes, I did, and you are!"  
  
Dean suddenly looked as though he had been stuck.  
  
"Rory, I can't believe you'd call me that!" He said his voice like a wounded animal  
  
"Well believe it Dean. Lately you have been nothing but an overprotective, jealous annoyance. What happened to the Dean I used to know?" Rory asked, staring hard at him  
  
"Rory, I, I, just…I don't know. I could tell Jess was trying to get to you, and I just didn't want that to happen." Dean said back  
  
"So you can't trust me enough to believe me when I said that I was just his friend, that I loved you, and that nothing was going on?"  
  
Dean hesitated. A furrow formed on his brow and his eyes scrunched in confusion.  
  
"Rory, why was that all in the past tense?" Dean said shakily  
  
Rory stopped; she averted her gaze to a bush and sighed before looking back up.  
  
"Because all that was in the past…" she whispered  
  
"Rory, what do you mean?" Dean said, panic in his voice  
  
"Dean, things aren't the way they used to be, I don't know, but things are just different."  
  
"Well, we can make them the way they used to be! Now with Jess gone, it will all be like before!" Dean said frantically in disbelief.  
  
"I don't think so Dean…" Rory said, now not able to look up into his eyes, so filled with grief, she couldn't take it.  
  
"Why Rory, why not?" Dean questioned  
  
"Because," she sighed, this wasn't easy, "because I can't make my heart go back to the way it used to be…I'm sorry Dean." She whispered  
  
Dean just stood there, breathing hard.  
  
"Fine, if that's how you really feel…"  
  
"It is."  
  
"Then I believe this conversation, and this relationship is over." Dean said venomously, anger and pain in his voice. Rory just nodded.  
  
He took one more look at the love of his life with watery eyes before he roughly wiped them with his hand, and turned his back, walking away.  
  
"Dean…" She whispered after him, the sound echoing strangely, "…I'm sorry…"  
  
  
  
He didn't respond, just kept walking into the night, never looking back.  
  
Lorelai noticed her daughters tear streaked face as she came through the door, and slowly got up, walking straight over to her. The two just came together and hugged, standing there a long while. Lorelai knew only too well what must have happened, she had sensed it was coming sooner or later. Lorelai pulled Rory back and wiped her face with her finger and smiled weakly at her.  
  
"Ice-cream?" she whispered  
  
"Sure." Rory smiled too.  
  
An ice-cream carton and four cups of coffee later, Lorelai ventured to talk to Rory about it  
  
"You ok?" she asked looking at her daughter sadly  
  
"Yha, but I think I'm going to go to be now…" Rory said, starting to get up  
  
"Oh, well, ok." Lorelai said a little hurt  
  
"What?" Rory asked  
  
"Its just, well, don't you want to talk about it?"  
  
"No." Rory said, but then added as she say Lorelai's face fall, "in the morning, ok?" Rory asked, knowing she was being distant.  
  
"Sure, good night." Her mom said, trying to act as though it was no big deal  
  
Rory got up and made her way silently to her room. She changed, and then got into bed, the light still on. Rory lay on her bed, guilty thinking about the nights events. She had lost a lot tonight. While Rory had cried, she knew that she had done so more because she felt like she was loosing a part of her, a part of her life that she could never be replaced. While she had no broken heart, she knew she would forever miss the security Dean had brought, the feeling of knowing you were loved, and most of all, the memories of her first love. But still, she couldn't ignore the fact that she felt more like she had lost a brother than a boyfriend, and that in the end, her tears were not of sorrow, but of relief. She would sleep easier tonight.  
  
Her thoughts then turned to Jess, to the fact that he was leaving and she probably could have prevented it. It killed her inside to know that she had choked, that she couldn't stand up to the town, couldn't stand up for what she though, no, for what she knew to be right. And now he was leaving. She hadn't seen him after the meeting, and he'd probably be leaving early in the morning. These thoughts in mind, Rory reached over and grabbed the phone. She lay quite for a moment, making sure her mom had retreated up stairs, before dialing his number. It was a little after 10, but Luke probably wouldn't mind her calling.  
  
It rang twice until finally a voice sounded on the other end  
  
"Hello?" It was Luke  
  
"Luke, its Rory, can I talk to Jess?" she asked tentatively  
  
"Oh, no. He left a couple hours ago, right after the meeting as a matter of fact." Luke said on the other end  
  
"What?" Rory said confused "Where did he go?"  
  
"I'm not sure for certain, but his bag was gone, and he left a note saying he was going to New York. Those seemed like good indications to me that he's gone home." Luke told her  
  
"Oh…he didn't even say bye…" she said sadly, more to herself than to Luke  
  
"Rory…" Luke sounded sympathetic  
  
"Don't worry about it; I'll see you tomorrow, right?" she said trying to sound cheerful  
  
"Yha, I'll make extra coffee…"  
  
"Good, I'll need it. Bye Luke."  
  
"Bye."  
  
She hung up, and slowly put the phone back on the receiver. She couldn't believe it, she had obviously been wrong in thinking he thought of her as anything more than a friend. Rory cried herself to sleep, but her tears weren't for Dean.  
  
The next morning Rory woke, as light streamed in through her window, a pale buttery color covering her floor. She clamped her eyes shut tight, and then, hesitantly ventured to squint at the source from which the path the light had found to hit her was coming from. It was odd, one of her window curtains was caught in the window frame, pulled back and letting light in. What was odd was that it looked like the window had been opened then accidentally shut on the curtain. Brushing it off, she groaned and rolled over, and as her eyes fell across her bed, she froze and stared, it all making sense. There, lying on the pillow next to her were three books, and a single, white rose.  
  
Now wide awake, Rory sat up and pulled the bundle towards her. She picked up the rose and breathed in its fragrance deeply. Sighing, a smile now on her lips, she placed it besides her and picked the three up. A Farewell To Arms, Hemmingway of course, it was from Jess. Her hand trembling slightly, she opened the cover of the well worn book and noticed his writing; a note addressed her in the front.  
  
'Rory,  
  
I've never been any good at saying bye; the conclusiveness of it annoys me. I don't believe that I won't see you again; in fact I'm sure I will. Instead of my good-bye though, I am going to ask you to give Hemmingway another shot, you'll see life a little different after you've read it through his eyes. Think of the book, and the title, more as a reflection of our lives than anything. You really will be saying a farewell to arms, to the small town wars that plague your life, a farewell to me. Know this though Rory, if I ever liked you as a friend, I wouldn't be being truthful, for you have always been more than that to me. Always. Thank you for making me want to change, to be a better person, but all good things never do last, and it is time the both of us moved on. So Rory, I say farewell.  
  
Jess'  
  
Rory felt single tear roll down her cheek. Brushing it away, she flipped through the book, noticing Jess untidy scrawl on many pages. She then put the book down, and glanced at the other two. One was Oliver Twist, she laughed quietly to herself. The other, under it was her Fountain head book she had lent him. In the one day she had traded the hard cover for the soft, he had somehow reread it, and the book, just like Oliver Twist and A Farewell To Arms, was covered in his thoughts. She marveled at just how incredible he could be, how he continued to amaze her, even when he wasn't there in the physical. However, little did she know that he had planned just a few more surprises…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Please Review, sorry to leave you hanging, but you'll just have to wait!!! -Breanna 


	8. Admissions and Eggs

AN: Hi, thanks for all the reviews, I tried to write this chapter quickly so you didn't have to wait too long. One thing though, Jess's surprise might not be what you all had in mind, so don't get all bummed if it's not, actually I'm pretty sure it won't be. Last thing, just a little note, 'para yo' means for me (roughly) in Spanish, if you couldn't figure it out. Enjoy and please make sure to keep reviewing  
  
  
  
Chapter 8: Admissions and Eggs  
  
  
  
Rory dressed a bit faster than usual, and bounded up the stairs-before her coffee-two at a time. She opened the door to Lorelai's room, and peered in. Her bed was empty. Rory stood quite for a second, her heart still pounding from the burst of energy and she faintly heard the shower running, and sighing, her mom singing. Rory walked over to the bathroom door and banged on it. The singing stopped instantly, and Rory called out over the noise of the running water  
  
"Hurry up! I'm hungry, and…I'm hungry!"  
  
"Ok, okay, I'm coming." Lorelai yelled annoyed from within  
  
Her mom emerged in her towel, and Rory narrowed her eyes at her mom  
  
"You were soaking!" she accused her as though she had committed some crime  
  
"Was not!" Lorelai said back  
  
"Were too! And it's bad to lie so early in the morning" Rory said smirking  
  
"Fine, but what's it matter?"  
  
"What's it matter?!" Rory asked shocked "What's it matter? It matters that we don't get first dibs on Saturday morning coffee at Luke's, and the pancakes are going to be flaky with their blueberries!" Rory exclaimed  
  
"Oh, point taken, I'm so sorry, won't happen again." Lorelai said sarcastically and moved towards her closet to get dressed. Rory plopped down on the bed and waited as her mom dressed inside  
  
"So, what's up with you this morning?" Lorelai questioned in that voice that told Rory she was trying to act as though the question was perfectly normal, but the meaning behind it was a lot more.  
  
"What do you mean?" Rory asked, trying equally as hard not to make it aware she had caught the hint in the question  
  
"I don't know, it just I figured it would be a little early for sarcasm…"  
  
"It's never too early for sarcasm!" Rory said amused, but puzzled at where her mom was going with this line of questioning  
  
"Oh, well, it's just, uh, last night, and I thought you, you know…" Lorelai trailed off  
  
"Oh, um, yha I do know. I guess I just forgot…" Rory said  
  
"You forgot?!" Lorelai said opening the closet door dressed in jeans and a light pink shirt  
  
"Well, no, I mean I didn't forget. I just, I don't know, was trying to forget about it…" Rory tried to lie. How could she have forgotten? Well, actually, she knew the answer to that question perfectly well considering the morning's events, but how could she have let it slip; now her mom would know something was going on…  
  
"Oh, ok, well, we never really did talk about what happened." Lorelai said  
  
Rory knew she shouldn't hold out on her mom, and besides, she always felt better when she told her things, but she just didn't need to tell her the motives behind them.  
  
  
  
"Well, Dean was acting so smug after you left, that I just kind of exploded at him."  
  
"Really! What did you say?" Her mother's interest made Rory feel this was going to be easier  
  
"I, I actually called him an asshole." Rory said blushing a little as her mom squealed  
  
"You, Rory, Perfect, Gilmore, you called him an asshole! I'm so proud!" Lorelai said positively beaming  
  
Rory couldn't help but start to giggle too, "Yha, well, he definitely was being one, but, sorry to disappoint you, this is not the part where the biker and stoner dudes come in." Rory said  
  
"Oh, I was so looking forward to that part! But what can I say, you, calling someone an asshole, it's definitely a start!" Lorelai said, thrilled she and Rory were nothing like her and Emily  
  
"Well, continuing, Dean got all upset when I called him that, and wanted to know why I did."  
  
"And…" Lorelai eagerly hung on Rory's every word  
  
"And, apart for stating the obvious reasons, like him being overprotective and jealous, the conversation turned a bit and I just told him that things weren't like they used to be…"  
  
"Takes guts…" Lorelai said offhandedly, nodding her approval  
  
"Yha, so when he said he would make things like they used to be, I told him it just wasn't going to work, and we just broke up." Rory ended, skipping the chunks concerning Jess as one of the main contributing factors to the ordeal  
  
"And that's it?" Lorelai looked disappointed  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's it." Rory tried to act normal  
  
"No underlying reasons you should be telling me?" Lorelai prodded further, not at all convinced  
  
"No." Rory said flatly, avoiding her mother's stare  
  
"Rory…"  
  
"I'm still starving. How about those pancakes now?" Rory said getting desperate  
  
"Rory…" Her mom said getting up and advancing on her  
  
Rory got up and started to grope for a towel  
  
"But you know, I just might be more partial to French toast…"  
  
"Rory!" Lorelai yelled smiling  
  
"Or eggs…?" Rory trailed off and threw the towel she had found at Lorelai. She caught it, looked at it, and then understanding started to towel dry her hair.  
  
"Spill."  
  
"No."  
  
"Now."  
  
"Or waffles?"  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
Rory paused, "Jess"  
  
"Ha! I knew there was another reason!" Lorelai shouted in triumph. Then, upon processing Rory's words she said  
  
"Wait, did you say Jess? Like, as in Luke's nephew, like the 'just kicked out of town' boy?" Lorelai said in disbelief, and not excited disbelief either  
  
"The one and only." Rory said sighing  
  
"Oh Rory…" Lorelai trailed off "But what, why? He's leaving…" Lorelai said a bit upset and concerned  
  
"No, he's already left." Rory said looking down  
  
"He has? Wait, how do you know?" She looked at Rory suspiciously  
  
"When I called Luke last night," Lorelai's eyebrows rose in question "Luke said he had already left, home, to New York." She added  
  
"Did he say good-bye?" Lorelai asked the one question Rory had hoped she wouldn't  
  
"Well, no, but yes, sort of, indirectly, yes, a semi-good bye." Rory tumble out  
  
"Humm, just as long as you don't tell me it was a good byeish…" Lorelai said  
  
"Well, actually, it kind of was." Rory replied as Lorelai sighed, but she was smiling  
  
"You already know my next question Rory, need I ask it?" Lorelai said looking at her with her hands on her hips  
  
"Sorry, my ESP has been coming on a little slower than expected." Rory said sarcastically, but she really did know what the question would be  
  
"Ok, because you're slow at developing your skill, mind telling me what was kind of a good byeish he gave you, and by the way, why do all things relating to Jess always seem to be in the –ish category?"  
  
"I'll answer the second one first, but I think you already know the answer too." Rory said, already exposing a lot more information than she had previously agreed to  
  
"Wait," Lorelai said holing her fingers to her temples, closing her eyes and humming, "is it because you were never quite sure what your feelings for Jess meant, that you did want to admit them to me, or yourself, and that rebel boy always kept you on your toes so he was just one big ball of –ish himself?" Lorelai said  
  
"Congrats, I really wish you could impart some of your knowledge in the felid of 'answering the dumb questions we ask when we already knew the answer to them' oh wise one." Rory said sarcastically  
  
"Any time, as long as it doesn't conflict with Ms. Cleo's lessons, she's a very impatient woman you know." Lorelai responded, matching Rory's sarcasm  
  
"No, I didn't, but I do know that I am still hungry." Rory said impatiently  
  
"Ok, we can eat." Rory smiled and started to walk towards the door, "when you tell me what Jess' good byeish was." Lorelai said putting a hand on Rory's shoulder to stop her, smirking all the while  
  
"Ok." Rory sighed exasperated, amazed she had contented. Oh well, Lorelai would have found out sooner than later, and better to get it over and done with.  
  
Rory nervously showed her the rose, and the note, and stood a bit embarrassed as Lorelai stood reading it. However, when her mom looked up Rory was surprised, she was actually smiling.  
  
"I guess you were right…" Lorelai said putting the book back on the bed and picking up the flower  
  
"What was I right about?" Rory asked confused  
  
"You were right when you said that I didn't know the real Jess." Lorelai said smiling  
  
"See, he's not so bad is he?" Rory said relieved but still blushing  
  
"Bad? He reads, he's smart, he's not bad to look at…"  
  
"And he's gone…" Rory finished for Lorelai  
  
"I know, but maybe it's for the best Rory." Lorelai told her  
  
"Mom, I know that you still don't think that highly of him, but Jess was better off here. In New York, he's only going to be the way he used to be, here, here he had a shot. Come on, he went from smoking, stealing and drinking to only being rude and pulling a couple of harmless pranks." Rory said desperately trying to defend him  
  
"True, but he's still dangerous, and, I just don't have the greatest feeling about him." Lorelai responded  
  
"But?" Rory tried to get Lorelai to continue  
  
"But, if this really means this much to you, I won't go spread nasty gossip about the guy." Lorelai said, but then continued "Look Rory, I don't have to like him, you do, but I will admit that what he did," she said glancing at the flower in her hand, "was pretty niceish." She said smiling.  
  
"Thanks mom…" Rory said and got up to hug her  
  
"But Rory…"  
  
"Great, another but, what was wrong with just one?" Rory interrupted her  
  
"But" Lorelai continued ignoring Rory's comment, "I want you to be really careful, don't go and do something stupid, don't go do anything that I would do because I really don't want to pull the Emily card out, but I will if I have to, do you get that?" Lorelai said looking quite serious.  
  
"Got it." Rory responded "Now let's go eat!" she said jumping up.  
  
"My hairs not dry." Lorelai whined.  
  
"Deal, were leaving." Rory said and grabbed the rose and pushed Lorelai out of the room.  
  
"Ok, ok, let me at least grab my jacket." Lorelai said as she headed up the stairs  
  
"I'm moving towards the door…" Rory said as her mom ran upstairs  
  
"I'm opening the door…" She shouted up, but really she opened up a cupboard and took out a glass and filled it with water.  
  
"I'm grabbing my coat…" She yelled as she put the rose in and then put it by her bed  
  
"I'm walking outside…" she hollered as she walked quickly to the door, grabbed her coat, opened it and then stepped outside just as Lorelai came bounding down the stairs, damp hair in a bun on her head and her jacket half on.  
  
"My, you are very hard to deal with on an empty stomach." Lorelai commented a little out of breath as she joined Rory on the porch  
  
"Likewise." Rory responded and Lorelai couldn't help but nod in agreement.  
  
  
  
  
  
Upon entering town…  
  
  
  
Rory stopped, her mom frozen next to her. Then the both started to walk quickly to get a better view of the center part of Stars Hallow, neither believing their eyes. Rory couldn't help it, she started to laugh, and soon Lorelai was joining suit. Jess certainly hadn't left without making his mark. The trees all surrounding the gazebo area were completely white, covered in toilet paper. Hanging from the lower branches of one of the bigger trees was Babette's gnomes, all with ropes around their necks. Apart from that, Doosies market was thoroughly egged, as well as the gazebo, and the street.  
  
"Wow!" Rory said giggling "Christmas again so soon!"  
  
"Ok, now this is definitely good, definitely. Look at Taylor!" Lorelai squealed excitedly  
  
"Oh man, this is great, hurry; let's get a table by the window!" Rory and Lorelai ran into Luke's and sat down at a table with the food still on it from the last customers.  
  
Rory was still laughing as she watched Taylor, face red, yelling at some people who were frantically trying to scrub off the egg yoke from his store front. Others were trying to take down the toilet paper, and two men were setting up a latter to remove Babette's gnomes as she stood in hysterics down on the ground.  
  
"Mom, look, he even turned the Stars Hallow sign upside down, and Taylor's, oh man, and Patty's, he's turned practically ever single one upside down!" Rory pointed out  
  
"Ok, he is definitely starting to win my approval." Lorelai said nodding firmly, still smiling  
  
"But not Luke's…" she trailed of  
  
"Not Luke's what?" Lorelai asked confused  
  
"Look, he didn't turn Luke's upside down; actually, he did absolutely nothing to this place." Rory said smiling  
  
"Yha, nothing but steal all my eggs! I can't serve half of my menu because of that kid!" Luke fumed, but Rory could tell he wasn't too upset.  
  
"Oh, but Luke, how can you possibly say that that isn't worth a day of eggs?" Lorelai said smiling broadly and pointing to Taylor who was now stamping his feet in rage as the egg was causing his entire spring window painting decorations to come off.  
  
"Yha, well, maybe…" Luke said and was smiling now too "…I actually think I'm going to regret him not being around anymore." Luke said distantly. Lorelai turned in surprise  
  
"Wow! That'll be the day! I never thought I'd hear those words come out of you mouth Mr. Danes! You, missing Jess? All you ever did was complain about him!" Lorelai said  
  
"Well, I'm not so sure 'miss' is the right word. He was a definite pain in the ass, I'm not denying that, but he did help out in the dinner, and I don't know he just…he just…"  
  
Luke said, getting a little lost for words  
  
"He just made life more interesting." Rory finished quietly for him  
  
"Yha…" Luke agreed as Luke and Lorelai stared at her.  
  
"Well he did!" Rory said defensively "I mean, Stars Hallow just became a bit more exciting when he was around." Rory said  
  
"Yha, well, he's back in New York now, so we don't have to worry about it any more." Luke said as he turned to go, but pausing to fill up their mugs with coffee and take the old plates away  
  
"What do you two want?" Luke asked  
  
"Blueberry pancakes para yo, and Rory…" Lorelai said  
  
"French toast please." Rory said  
  
"You got." Luke said as he left  
  
"You really do like him don't you?" Lorelai said smiling at Rory  
  
"Who Jess?" Rory said "No, I don't really like him…"  
  
"Yes you do! Here I am the whole time just thinking you had a little friendish thing going just because he was different from Dean, but you really do like him." Lorelai said pointing a finger accusingly at her  
  
"No, I don't, I only did like him as a friend, that's it." Rory said trying to lie  
  
"Liar!" Lorelai yelled  
  
"Am not!"  
  
"Are too!"  
  
"Am not!"  
  
"Are too!"  
  
"Fine, we'll compromise. I like-ish him." Rory said  
  
"Like-ish, huh? Didn't we already determine we use to many ish's when talking about Jess?" Lorelai said  
  
"Yes…but –ish just seems to fit on most words associated with him…" Rory said  
  
"Or ones that you don't want to admit the truth about." Lorelai finished  
  
"You're impossible, you know that?" Rory said sighing  
  
"Um, yes I do. One of my better traits actually." Lorelai said sarcastically  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, if that's one of you good ones…" Rory trailed off as her mother shot her a look.  
  
"Fine, I can deal with likeish for now, but sooner or later I'll get it out of you." Lorelai said mischievously  
  
  
  
New York  
  
  
  
Jess got off the bus and made his way slowly down his old street. It was so odd he thought, every thing here was so familiar, yet so foreign. Jess knew that a lot of it had to do with the fact that he had left New York as one person, and was coming home a different one. As much as he hated to admit it, Stars Hallow had changed him, she had changed him. He smiled to himself as he thought about Rory; he had left that night and had hung around until about one in the morning when he had decided to give the town a little sprucing. He wondered to himself if he should have left the books, but now, he sighed, what did it matter what she thought of it, it wasn't going to make much of a difference anymore. He paused on the steps of his old apartment building before taking a big breath and walking up to the stairs, his hand slightly shaking as he pressed the buzzer.  
  
"Hello?" A groggy voice answered. It was Liz  
  
"It's me." Jess said without much emotion  
  
"Jess? Is that you, what are you doing here?" She asked, actually sounding rather upset  
  
"I had to come back here…" Jess trailed off, it wasn't like he was expecting her to be excited to see him, but she seemed positively angry  
  
"Jess, what do you mean, you had to come back?" Liz roared through the speaker  
  
"Can we talk about this inside?" Jess asked getting really annoyed  
  
"Um, well, yha, I guess, hold on." Liz said  
  
Jess stood waiting out side. After about five minutes, he dumped his stuff and sat down on the steps. After 10 minutes, Jess got up, very agitated and started to continually ring the bell. After about eight or nine buzzes, Liz's voice came back on.  
  
"Ok, shut up, stop it!" The door buzzer sounded again and Jess pushed it open, putting one of his bags in the door so it wouldn't shut, he grabbed his other bag and then headed up the steps into the building. Second story, he made his way down a dimly lit hall and down to the fifth to last door on the right. He knocked several times and it swung open, reveling Liz's cold face. She left it open and walked back into the apartment. Just as Jess walked in, a man came from the bathroom to the right of him, grabbed a coat on the couch and brushed past him, their shoulders bumping.  
  
"Call me soon." He yelled over his shoulder at Liz before slamming the door shut behind him  
  
Liz continued to pick up the clothes strune floor and hastily put away the liquor bottles on the counter back into the cupboard.  
  
"So, what are you doing here?" Liz repeated as Jess haled his stuff back into his old room.  
  
Jess looked in. Obviously someone else had been living in there while he had been gone, the bed was unmade, there were someone else's clothes on the floor, and all of his stuff had screwed with.  
  
"Who's been in here?" Jess yelled, he could already see his old temper flaring up again and he had only been there a half an hour or so.  
  
"Look Jess, don't freak, Marcie, you remember her," Liz said  
  
"No." Jess said flatly  
  
"Well, you would if you saw her, well; she needed a place to stay."  
  
"Does she still need a place to stay?" Jess asked, his eyes narrowed in anger  
  
"Well, yha, considering you gave me no warning you were coming back. What did you do this time anyway?" Liz said, going back to her cleaning, or rather, relocating  
  
Jess ignored the question and went into his room. He sized all foreign objects that were obviously Marcie's and threw them out into the living room. Then he sized the sheets, ripped them off and threw them out there too. Grabbing a blanket, he put it on his bed, but not before removing the pillow cover too and adding that to the growing pile in the living room. Satisfied, he started to fix the things on his desk; re taped his falling posters and put all the books he had taken to Stars Hallow back on his shelves. He then grabbed his clothes from his duffle bag, and shoved them back into all the drawers and on the shelf in his closet. Satisfied he had reclaimed his room adequately, he grabbed his coat he had taken off in the process and headed for the door.  
  
"She can have the couch; no one goes in my room or touches my stuff." He said to his mom  
  
"Were the hell do you think you're going! You just can't come waltzing in here without any explanation and then just leave again!" Liz roared  
  
"Just watch me." Jess spat back. Then he turned and left, slamming the door hard behind him. He stormed down the hall and out into the street. The fresh air calmed him down a bit as he strode along the ally to the place he was sure his friends would be. He noticed an empty beer bottle on the ground and glumly said aloud  
  
"Home sweet home…" Then kicked it with all his might.  
  
  
  
  
  
There will me more R and J, but you just have to wait! Please make sure to review, you don't know how much it helps! -Breanna 


	9. Road Trip

AN: I promised more R/J, so here it is. This chapter is a little longer, but bare with it. Again thanks a million for your reviews, please continue to do so, it makes me soo happy! Enjoy…  
  
  
  
Chapter 9: Road Trip  
  
  
  
Rory sat miserably at the kitchen table. It was already Friday afternoon; almost two weeks after the whole incident had begun. Rory knew that her reputation had faltered a little last week as she had actually confessed too many that what she had said hadn't been entirely truthful. She had recounted the events accurately at the regular Friday night meeting, shocking many of the town's people. Lorelai knew what Rory had done had taken a lot of nerve. While some like Miss. Patty had been actually rather impressed and quite optimistic to giving Jess another chance, others like Taylor had held stead fast on to their previous decision, only further strengthen by Jess' thoughtful going away present. Rory sighed and laid her forehead down on top of her math homework. She knew she was going to miss Jess, but she never imagined it would be this much…  
  
  
  
New York  
  
Jess' arrival had been met with mixed feelings. His teachers were positively horrified at the thought of him being back at school again, but his friends were much more egger to see him. The first day back Jess had actually spent the whole day at school, and spent the full time required in each class. He loved the looks people had given him as he had roamed the old familiar halls and when he had entered each class room. Some were of abject fear, others hatred. Some were at a loss for words while others could have cared less. However, there was a group that showed they were glad to see him. Only problem was, Jess wasn't so sure how glade he was to see them. Out of those who's reaction had been somewhat positive a large majority were all of his old friends. However, there were the few that had given him a smile as he had walked in, a smile that had sent chills down his spin as he recognized those that thought of him merely as a key player in the trade. Jess not only had set a few kids up at the school and was a good and reliable supplier, but he did also put quite a few dollars in to the pockets of those slightly higher than himself. Jess wasn't exactly excited to see these people, but at least things were good, he wasn't in debt to anyone. Almost as soon as the first day of school had let out, Jess already felt himself molding back into his old way of life. He and his old group of friends had left right after school to the old scrap yard about half a mile from his house. There he first reassumed his old mentalities as well. As they all sat in a circle, eight of them including Jess, they began to poke into a subject he hadn't realized was touchy to him until they brought it up. It felt a lot like cutting open a scab, a wound you've forgotten about, but one that is easily reopened. His feelings. Most of the time their conversations were always so materialistic, either that or they were too high or drunk to talk about anything of substance, but this time, they had all plunged right in, much to Jess' dismay.  
  
"Man Jess, we never thought you were coming back…" a mousy guy named Jack said from his right.  
  
"Yha, so how the hell did you blow out of the crap hole anyway?" finished Diz.  
  
Diz wasn't his real name, it was David, but no one had called him that for as long as Jess could remember. Jess looked at him before he answered. He looked worse than he had remembered, his eyes were red and his hands were violently shaking though he held them to keep still. Was this really what he had longed to come back to?  
  
"Actually, the bastards kicked me out." Jess said.  
  
"Awhh, poor baby." Alicia smiled sarcastically at Jess. She wore hardly anything though there was a breeze that Jess felt even with his coat on. But that was how she had always been. Jess was almost positive that he had done something with her on one occasion or another, but it had never been intentional. She was always egger to take advantage of him when he had gotten drunk or high; and he could tell she had always wanted him to see more in her than he did, but he never had. Looking at her brought Rory into his mind. He almost laughed aloud as he thought how many worlds apart the two were. Then again the thought bitterly, so were he and Rory.  
  
Jack started to giggle, his little body quivering  
  
"Shut up Jack-ass." Kent Stiner said. He sat across the circle from Jess, and had been intently watching him. His name was Kent, but most people called him Stiner.  
  
They all called Jack, Jack-ass. No pun was really intended; it just seemed to fit him more.  
  
Jack stopped laughing, but had to bite his hand to keep quite. Jess smiled sadly at him. He was the type Jess could just tell was going to die young, he just had the air about him that his number was going to be called soon, besides, he really need help, but never got any. He was just one of those guys that did things at the wrong time. Like now, he would laugh for no reason, but when Lance, his closet friend had died last year in a car crash, it didn't seem to faze him at all. In fact, Stiner said he had actually heard him whistling after the funeral. Jess looked back to Stiner, a burly guy, but a guy you could depend on. Jess had always liked him the most, not out of affection, but rather respect. The two understood and respected each other. Jess couldn't count the times Kent had gotten him out of one fix or another.  
  
"So, what's your story man?" Stiner said to Jess  
  
"No story really. I moved to this little shit hole of a town with my uncle who made me quite smoking and drinking. He made me work all the friken time in his damn dinner. I went to school, ditched, got in fights and naturally didn't do my homework. I played stupid jokes on the town; it was one of those unnaturally small towns that the slightest disturbance landed me their object of much hatred. I broke a guy's nose last week, they all freaked, so now here I am. It wasn't that bad really." Jess added thinking of Rory  
  
"Not that bad! Wow, they must have really gotten to you! But hey," his hands shaking as he pulled something from his pocked "I can make you as good as new." Diz smiled and handed Jess a cigarette. Jess took it, and stared at it for a while, uneasy, but trying to hide it. Diz caught on and looked at him sincerely worried  
  
"What's wrong man? Do you not want it?" He said disbelief in his voice  
  
Jess scoffed at him. "Just savoring that's all. It's been a while." Jess played it off easily  
  
"Oh, good thing, you had me worried there." Diz said and the others breathed a sigh of relief as Jess breathed in his old life, with one puff.  
  
Jess felt his tongue tingle at the old taste, but it was different. It had changed; its old pleasure was gone. The other's smiled and asked more questions, but Kent just stared at him, and Jess knew he was reading his real feelings as easily as one does a book; Stiner wasn't so gullible. That was the problem with having some one that you could trust, you usually didn't need to say a word before they had you already all figured out. It wasn't long after that their circle had been filled in a gray white haze, talking and laughing as they smoked; though not a day at all had passed between them.  
  
Around ten, they had all broken up and gone home. As Jess turned up a street to take the route he had taken many times before, the others went their own ways. However, Kent turned the corner with him. Jess knew he wanted to talk, but still, he stayed quite for a good ten minutes before the silence got to Jess.  
  
"You know going this way isn't exactly helping you get home any faster." Jess said to Kent though he kept his eyes one the street ahead of him.  
  
"Funny, I was thinking the same thing." Stiner said, but he turned and looked at him.  
  
Jess stopped and looked at him too. There was no need to play dumb with him, and Jess never tried  
  
"No, that place was never a home. Here, New York, you guys, that's my home." Jess said even though he felt more like he was trying to convince himself than Kent that it was the truth  
  
"To bad." Stiner said and continued to walk  
  
"What do you mean to bad?" Jess asked confused  
  
"You got out. I know you don't want to admit it, but you want to go back. I would too if I were you." Jess walked in shocked silence. He hated how Kent knew him so well.  
  
Kent continued though Jess didn't really need him to  
  
"Here, we think we got it all. Drugs, girls, friends, alcohol, good times. But we don't. I know it, I've know it since my brother left, remember, he went to collage back when I was in ninth." Jess nodded, he remembered. That day had changed Kent. I had shown him there was something better than the life they all lived, no matter how good they all thought it was.  
  
He continued. "I smoke, I drink. I know it, I hate it, but I do it. We used to think that that was the only way to make life worth living. But I can tell, now you know its not, just like I do." Stiner said.  
  
Jess couldn't help but feel pain for the guy. Stiner did it just as Jess had done, to be cool, to drown out problems at home, but Kent had it a lot worse. With five brothers, one sister, and a dead father, Jess didn't understand how Stiner didn't take everything he could get his hands on.  
  
"Was it good? Was it good to get out?" Stiner said, and Jess looked at the pitiful bastard he couldn't help but love.  
  
Jess only nodded. He was thinking intently on Rory, and a smile played lightly on his lips. He didn't realize Stiner was watching him until he asked  
  
"Who is she?" Jess looked at him and laughed. This guy was so annoying  
  
"Her name's Rory. Well, Lorelai, but she's called Rory." Jess said not attempting to hold it back.  
  
"She pretty?" Stiner asked looking almost sadly at Jess  
  
"Beautiful. And she's smart. She's got a boyfriend though. But that isn't the worst of it, the fact that she's fucking innocent, now that's the worst of it." Jess told him  
  
"I didn't want-, I mean; I don't want to ruin that. That's what makes her Rory. Its good I came back, for her I mean." Jess said looked down again  
  
"Yha, good thing..." Stiner replied distantly  
  
They two finished their walk in silence.  
  
The week had gone by slowly but surely. Jess consequently spent less time in school and at home, until he eventually stopped showing up to either except on rare occasions. Yes, life was going back to normal.  
  
  
  
Back in Stars Hallow  
  
  
  
Lorelai wasn't home yet and it was already six o'clock and Rory hadn't had anything to eat since her after school snack, so naturally she was starving. Leaving a note for her mom, Rory got up, grabbed her coat and headed for Luke's. When she got there, she flumped down at the counter in a stool and looked around. She spied Luke on the phone, a concerned and angry look on his face and his forehead furrowed in emotion. Rory leaned over, a little guilty but far more curious.  
  
"Uh huh. When. Yesterday? He got kicked out again yesterday? No? That was on Wednesday? Then what happened Yesterday? Damn. Did he get charged with anything? Well, that's a lot better than a felony. Yha. What? No Liz, I can't take him. Yes, I know that, but he can't come back-. Because they won't let them! Convince them? Please! This town is controlled by Nazi-cardigan- Hitler wantabes. Yes I'm sure. Yes. Look Liz, he's your kid, you're going to have to deal with him for once. Sorry. No- No, Liz, I got work to do, Bye." Luke furiously hung up the phone, and looked over at Rory starting intently at him  
  
"What'd he do now?" Rory asked, not hiding the fact that she had listened in on the conversation  
  
"Got caught drinking and driving." Luke sighed, frustration clear  
  
Rory sighed "He was so much better off here with you…"  
  
"Maybe Rory, but he's the one that keeps screwing himself up, I can't be around to pick him up every time he falls." Luke said, though it was clear this was greatly affecting him  
  
"I just wished he, he hadn't gone back to the way he was! He was doing so much better…" Luke fumed  
  
"Yha, and it was because of you Luke." Rory smiled at him.  
  
"Yha, thanks. What do you want tonight?" Luke asked her changing the subject  
  
"BLT and coffee." She said catching the hint he didn't want to talk about it  
  
Rory watched Luke as he went into the kitchen to put her bacon on. Jess was in trouble again. She hadn't expected he wouldn't do just that, she was just hoping he wouldn't. As Rory watched Luke's back as he fried the bacon, she knew she had to do something. Jess needed help, even if Luke couldn't do it, she knew she would. She knew she had to, for his sake.  
  
That night Rory went home, her mind racing. She opened the door-she had left it unlocked-but her mom still wasn't home. She crumpled up the note she had previously written, and checked the messages- sure enough there was one from her mom. Lorelai had told her they were having a lot of issues with a large group at the inn, and she wouldn't be home until around ten if they all agreed by then. Rory deleted the message and then walked into her room. At the door way she stopped and stood, staring intently at the rose, hanging slightly out on one side of the plastic cup, the moonlight from her window streamed delicately on the petals and the breeze from the open window played softly on the leaves. Rory suddenly felt her heart beat fast. She knew what she had to do. Taking one more excited look at the rose, she flipped on her light, and moved towards her closet. She pulled out clean clothes from her closet just incase she would need a change in clothes. Throwing them onto her bed, she dashed to the kitchen and flicked on the coffee maker. Running back into her room, now the adrenalin of doing something against every belief she had, was really exciting her, she scourged around for a map of Connecticut, and one of New York. She was going to get him, she had to…she wanted to. Filled with this new found determination and goal, she proceeded to fill a thermostat full of the black life giving liquid she was addicted to, stuffed her clothes into a small bag, grabbed her maps, a heavy jacket, and money from her mom's dresser, then ran out into the jeep, throwing everything in the back. Running back in the house Rory pulled out a pen and a piece of scratch paper and began to write  
  
Mom, I had to go to New York to get--- but then she stopped and realized what she was writing. Ripping that off and throwing it in the trash, she began again  
  
Mom, had to go and study at Paris' for a school project. I'm just going to spend the night there, so if you need me, PAGE ME! See yha in the morning,  
  
Love Rory  
  
Rory made sure her mom would understand to page her, the last thing she needed was to have her mom call Paris' house and discover she wasn't there. This way, she could at least fake it.  
  
Rory ran back out side as soon as she was done, but made sure to lock the front door. Back in the jeep, as she pulled away she caught a glimmer of white through her bedroom window, and any previous doubt that had filled her mind, vanished into the cool night air. Under her breath she excitedly whispered  
  
"New York here I come."  
  
  
  
New York  
  
  
  
Jess sat on the steps of his apartment reading when Kent came up.  
  
"Do you ever stop reading?" Stiner asked  
  
"No." Jess responded looking back to his book  
  
"Well, right now, you can put it down and come with me." Kent said beginning to absentmindedly tap his foot  
  
"I think you were on my list of 'persons to not associate with' that my probation officer gave me." Jess said smirking at him  
  
"Was it Marks?"  
  
"Yha, good ol' officer Marks." Jess said knowing it would give Kent a crack  
  
"Damn I hate that fucking bastard!" Stiner yelled  
  
Jess just laughed at him and stood putting his book in his back pocket  
  
"Were to?" Jess asked  
  
"Wait, I thought I was on you hit list or death list or what ever the hell it was."  
  
"Probation list. Besides, all he did was tell me who was on it. As to what that implies, well, I'm sure we have slightly different views." Jess smiled as Stiner started to walk down the street  
  
"So, have you called or heard from that girl, what was her name?" Kent asked  
  
"No." Jess said with such a tone of finality that Kent knew the conversation on that issue was over  
  
Just then a voice sounded behind them. It was Liz.  
  
"Jess, where are you going now?"  
  
"Out." Jess answered coldly  
  
"What! Your on probation, you can't just go anywhere, let alone with that- with him." Liz raged in disbelief  
  
"Fine. I'm going to the scrap yard. There, now don't you feel a warm and gushy motherly feeling knowing where you dear son is going to be?" Jess said in a harsh sarcastic tone.  
  
"Jess, it doesn't matter where you go, the point is you can't go! You have to be in by nine o'clock Jess!"  
  
Jess just shrugged and turned his back walking on. Liz yelled his name a few more times, but to no avail.  
  
  
  
On The Road  
  
  
  
  
  
Rory groaned as the last few drops of coffee splattered into her cup.  
  
"Damn! Now what am I going to do!" She moaned out loud to herself. Looking at the gas meter she realized she was going to have to make a pit stop for gas soon anyway, she could just refill then, not only that, but the food stuff from her last stop was all gone too. She was in definite need of more sugar and caffeine, and fast. She had already been driving for three hours and it was getting to her. It was about nine at night, and the road was getting difficult to see, but Rory was bound and determined to get there that night.  
  
  
  
Two and a half hours later Rory found her self wide awake and gazing in wonder at the lights, sounds and smells of New York City. It was just about at that time though when Rory realized a series of things that made her wonder what exactly she was thinking in going there. She was 16, a girl, at eleven o'clock at night, alone, and in a huge city that she was trying to find one person in; these definitely weren't the greatest of circumstances. Nervously she drove to a gas station where she parked and went to the nearest phone booth. Inside it took her a good ten minutes to figure out where exactly Jess lived. It ended up being on the east side of Manhattan, not to far from where she was. She was almost at her car when she paused, stuck by a sudden thought. Turning, she went into the store at the station and conveniently purchased a bottle of mace. After that, she felt the tension ease a bit.  
  
  
  
Scrap Yard  
  
  
  
Jess lay on his back, watching the smoke curl up into the air with each exhale. A siren sounded in the distance, but Jess hardly noticed it. He turned to look at Stiner, who was lying next to him, his eyes lost in the barely visible stars. Nearby, a few others had joined them and had lit a fire. Most of those around it were just sitting in silence, like him and Kent, but Jess had moved away from them a while ago. Right now, he didn't really need all their superficial ness, Stiner was far better silent company. Jess turned his gaze back up to the sky, but just then Kent said something, though he didn't look at Jess  
  
"Life's changed hasn't it?" Stiner said to him  
  
Jess breathed "Yha. I'm here, but I'm not." Jess whispered back  
  
Kent chuckled softly "Welcome to my world." Jess knew that half the time Kent looked like he was somewhere else entirely  
  
"I'm not going back." Jess said to him firmly  
  
"I knew you wouldn't." Stiner replied softly after a pause "But I still know you want to."  
  
"I don't know. I don't fit here anymore; I don't really fit there either. I think I might just leave, you know, and see where I end up." Jess said  
  
"I might just go with you…" Stiner said, but Jess knew he wouldn't. Stiner did too  
  
They were silent again  
  
  
  
Rory, driving slowly as she squinted for street signs, finally let out a triumphant squeal. She had found the right street. Five minutes later, she had parked and was ringing the buzzer on Jess' apartment.  
  
"Who is it!" Rory heard a voice who she assumed to be Liz  
  
"Um, hi," Rory began nervously  
  
"What do you want!" Liz cut her off  
  
"I, uh, want to know where Jess is." Rory said quickly so not to be cut off again  
  
"Jess? Why do you want to know where he is?" She asked suspiciously, and then added "You're not his probation officer are you?"  
  
"Probation off-…" Rory trailed off disappointed "No, no, I'm just a friend and I wondered-"  
  
"Down at the scrap yard. Five blocks down, six to the right." Liz barked and with that the intercom shut off  
  
Rory shrugged and hurriedly got back into her car, repeating the directions over in her head. As Rory headed down the last street she could see the glow of the fire before she even got there. Rory parked, her heart beating rapidly again. She noticed the air looked as thick as fog as she squeezed through the opening in the fence. Steeping over a bumper, her eyes burned from the smoke as she nervously scanned the surroundings. A couple of people looked over at her, some confusion, others with humor written on their face. She walked a bit further, now breathing quickly and saw him lying on the hood of a partially intact car. For a minute she just stood there, so may different thoughts going through her head: doubt, nerves, soon her feet felt like bricks and she didn't think she could take a step closer. Just then she saw the boy lying next to Jess turn and fix his eyes right on her. He stared at her for a minute, and then an expression came over his face. Rory just stood her heart about to leap from her chest.  
  
"Jess, it's her." Stiner said to Jess. He knew, he could just tell.  
  
"What?" Jess said offhandedly not really paying attention to him. He had been thinking of Rory, how much he wished he could see her, be with her, but how at the same time he knew he never could be.  
  
"No. Jess, she's here." Stiner said, now nudging Jess in the ribs  
  
"What, what do you mean she- " Jess turned to look at Kent, and froze. He felt his heart leap to his throat, and his head whirl. He quickly sat up and stared at her, his mind was tangle of thoughts; at first he couldn't believe it was her. But then it hit him. It was her. It was Rory. Jess scrambled off the car and tumbled over to her.  
  
"Rory what…" But Jess stopped; he was at a loss for words. Many of the people around had now turned to watch, and Kent lay on the car and took a puff of his cigarette, a smile on his contented lips.  
  
"Jess I…" But Rory couldn't seem to find the right words to say either. The two just stood staring at one another in disbelief. Finally Jess found his nerve  
  
"Rory, what are you doing here?" He asked her concern in his voice  
  
"I came; I came to take you back." She said looking down, and Jess could see her face turn red even in the poor light.  
  
"Rory…" Jess sighed uncomfortably "You know I'm not going to go back." He said with difficulty. Kent cursed softly under his breath  
  
"Jess, you need to come back." Rory said annoyed at his blindness  
  
"Why?" Jess asked a little curtly, he couldn't let her convince him, he had to be firm.  
  
"Why? Why do you think?" Rory said to him "I heard the call your mom made to Luke Jess, I heard what she said about you and what you've been doing."  
  
"What? My mom called Luke?" Jess said caught a little off guard  
  
"Yha." Rory said "Jess, I can't believe you; you turned back into your old self! Why Jess? You were doing so well…" Rory looked at him and he saw disappointment in her eyes  
  
"You know what happened?" He asked softly  
  
"Yha. I heard pretty much everything…" Rory said  
  
Jess sighed heavily and went to take another breath of his cigarette that was now almost burned out. As he did, he looked at her and stopped, the cigarette hovering right in front of his lips. She stared intently at him, and then raised her hand and grabbed the cigarette gently. He looked away for a moment and let her slide it easily out of his fingers. Flicking it on the ground, she looked back up at him wearing a small smile that made him want to never smoke again.  
  
"Look Jess, you might not get along with everyone in Stars Hallow, but you really should come back. Most of the people there, they miss how interesting you made life. Luke misses you, though it was painful to see him try not to admit it, and, well, I miss you too." Rory added  
  
Jess stared at Rory, his face calm, covering the raging storm inside. He wanted to go, to just forget everything and be with her, but then he knew what damage he could do, how much he would screw up her life, how much he already had.  
  
"I can't Rory." He said. He took another look at her, but had to turn away, the disappointment in her eyes felt as though they were burning a hole in his heart, he couldn't look into those eyes.  
  
"You can't, or you don't want to?" Rory asked, a bit of resentment in her voice  
  
Jess turned, "I can't Rory; it makes no sense. I belong here, not there. This is my home." Jess said turning and continuing walking back to an annoyed Kent.  
  
"God Jess! Don't you get it? You're going to kill yourself here! You don't have a chance to do anything here; you need to go back even if you don't think you do!" Rory fumed at his ignorance and denial  
  
Jess turned, mad that she was doing this to him. It was so much harder this way…  
  
"Oh really Rory! You think you've got me figured all out don't you? Well, if that's your best reason for encouraging me to come back, that I really don't know what I need or want, then I'd say you need a bit better reasoning." Jess yelled back  
  
"Uggg! Jess, that just one of the reasons why you should come back!" Rory yelled, no longer thinking before she shouted out at him, anger so mixed with love it was making her head reel  
  
"Humm, well then, give me one good reason why I should go back!" Jess challenged her  
  
Before thinking what she was about to say, Rory shouted it out, speaking from her heart  
  
"Because I'm in love with you!"  
  
Jess froze, Rory stood, shocked she had just said that. The whole yard seemed to be in a deathly silence; in the distance a car alarm sounded. Jess felt her words pierce him like a bullet. His heart leaped, his head spun, she had said something to him no one ever had, and she had really meant it. But hit him the hardest was that he knew he felt the same way, but never knew she had shared his feelings. Every sense of reasoning he had before flew away in a swirl of confusion.  
  
Rory held her breath, not knowing what to expect. She felt as though her heart were trying to leap out of her chest, and she was sure everyone could hear it pound away. She felt the heat rise to her face again.  
  
"You…you are?" Jess choked out  
  
Rory only nodded her head sadly  
  
"Do you really want me…to come back?" Jess asked, not believing she had changed his mind set completely with that little phrase  
  
Rory nodded again, and Jess felt emotions sweep over him as she stood there, her face illuminated by the fire light, beautiful and honest, so fucking innocent. He wanted to rush over, hold her and feel her lips against his, but he knew he had to be resolute. She was too- he couldn't take advantage of her like that, he would never forgive himself if he did.  
  
Jess slowly walked over to her, and as he did, he suddenly felt his resolution to be firm melt away like candle wax with every step he took towards her, with every second he stared into those crystal blue eyes. Rory watched him approach, and everything else around her became obsolete. It was as though they were completely alone. He came and stood in front of her, their bodies dangerously close. Both far beyond need of words, Jess felt his hand slide up the small of her back, and her skin under his hand quiver at his touch. Rory slowly wrapped her arms up around his neck as he pulled her closer with his other hand. Both felt a need, a longing to be with each other that they couldn't explain. Jess could feel Rory's nervous but excited breathing and didn't think he stand it much longer to not feel her touch, her lips on his. Jess's body slowly leaned in as he felt their lips meet. A feeling of instant shock, like electricity, raced through their bodies and as though they had been stuck by a force, a surge of long pent up desires, the two suddenly and furiously deepened the kiss, needing each other more than ever; feelings they never knew possible rocked through their body's as they finally found one another. Rory felt his soft warm lips and longed to have more. But Jess was already one step ahead of her and Rory willing let his tongue enter into her mouth. Rory quietly groaned with pleasure as her body quivered with delight as she ran her fingers through his hair. Rory felt Jess's body tense at her touch and he deepened the kiss even more. He couldn't believe it, he had never though kissing her would be this good, it was making every fiber in his body ach with the strain of longing and desire. Rory once again felt the feeling in the pit of her stomach, but this time it was stronger, almost as though it were burning. She pressed into him again and searched the deep recesses of his mouth almost wanting to find his soul. She never knew the feeling of being so complete until now. Over whelmed by desire, they reluctantly and slowly broke apart, faces only inches away, breathing heavily. Jess couldn't help but smile foolishly at her, and she just returned the grin. Bringing her hand down to met his, she squeezed it as she turned, still grinning, and began to walk, pulling him with her. He didn't fight but willing followed, his lips still tingling from their embrace, his mind in a haze of pleasure.  
  
Stiner watched them leave, knowing that he would probably never see Jess again. He turned his gaze back up to the starry sky smiling sadly.  
  
"Way to go Jess. Way to go…" He dragged on his cigarette and watched the smoke twirl up to be lost in the night sky.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hope you like it, please review and tell me your thoughts- Breanna 


	10. Author's Note

AN:  
  
Hi everyone, I just thought I would post this little note for you guys so that you don't lose faith in the story. First of all, no, it is not over as I think a few of you thought. This story has veered so far off what I pictured the original story line to be, that it could be two more chapters or 10. I just don't know. Also, the main reason for me posting this is to tell you all that this week I must devote solely to studying for my AP Euro test, it's on Friday, and I seriously don't think I'll have anytime to write, soooo sorry. I love to do it, so it is a little upsetting that I probably won't post again until sometime on Saturday. My apologies but please bear with me. Ok, next thing is that a bunch of you mentioned by spelling problem, don't worry, no offence taken, I got a wopping 21% on my Golden State Exam for spelling last year. Ouch, I know, but I never really learned to spell in the first place, I missed second grade; the whole phonics era was one I never experienced. On that note, would anyone be willing to help me out and be a Bata reader for me? I would really appreciate it, so if you're interested, you can e-mail me and I'll send you the next chapter-when it's done. Lastly, I really want to thank all of you for your awesome reviews, the difference it makes knowing that people are getting something out of what I write, really keeps my whole drive for writing going. So, muchas gracias, I love you all!!!!  
  
-Breanna  
  
e-mail- ilovsoccer66@yahoo.com (note there is no 'e' in 'lov') 


	11. An Unexpected Twist

AN: Wow, I know its not last Saturday, the day I said I was going to post again. I'm sooo sorry, I hope you haven't all given up on me; it's been like what, two weeks since I last posted… Anyhow, this chapter is a revival from a writers block, very random, but that's how I write. If you all think this is a bad tangent to stray on, I will not be offended but will replace it with what I had originally thought to go in chapter 10. Be honest, I post to please... sort of…ok, I hope you like it, sorry if it seems a bit short.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
An Unexpected Twist  
  
  
  
Rory felt almost dizzy as she made her way back towards her car, Jess's hand warm in her grasp. She couldn't believe that she had actually done it, that for once; she had followed her heart, and not her mind. It felt good too, and it scared her. It was like she couldn't think when he was around, like her brain wasn't functioning in the practicality section. She looked over at Jess walking besides her, and he caught her glance and looked back. She no longer felt as though she couldn't met his gaze, she knew she had stepped over a line that she couldn't go back across again, but not for a second did she regret it. She smiled gently at him, and he grinned, giving her hand a little squeeze. His gaze was so intense; he stared deeply into her blue depths, a stare she still couldn't translate. Shaking her head as she reached in her pocket for her keys, she realized that she was glad she couldn't quite figure him out figure him out, he would always remain unpredictable.  
  
They turned up a street, and Rory's car was parked a little more than half way up. Jess felt his body tense, and he stopped, pulling Rory back too. He listened intently, Rory understanding the look on his face stayed quite, hardly daring to breathe. Jess pulled them back into a shadow and watched the street. He couldn't explain it, it was a feeling, a second sense, an instinct molded from years on the streets. Something was wrong, he could tell.  
  
"Jess, what's wrong…" Rory whispered to him. Jess just shook his head, and sighed. Maybe it was just nerves.  
  
The walked back up to the street, but Jess paused again. Then, out of the cold night air, a voice sounded that made Jess's blood run cold.  
  
"What a pretty pair of baby's we've got here." A man as black as night sneered as he came out from behind a car.  
  
He had a heavy accent and a scruffy face with equally disoriented hair on his head. He was clad in a worn leather jacket with jeans and old tennis shoes. Around his neck dangled a gold chain with a large cross. Rory stood frozen in fear, his eyes shown out of the dim light, a misty yellow, and the pearl white of his teeth glinted like a row of Chiclets. Jess pulled Rory behind him and walked backwards towards the row of cars, his stomach in knots and his eyes intently fixated on the man's hand in his coat.  
  
"What's the matter, scared?" A deep voice asked from behind.  
  
Rory screamed as he reached out to her, and Jess quickly pulled her back. The second man came from behind a car, laughing wirily. His skin was a light brown, stained from the sun. He had a mop of black hair that seemed to have a mind of it's own despite the cap, (Yankees) and a dark blue jacket. His pants were a dirty brown, weather it was the color it was supposed to be or not couldn't be determined; he stood in the cars' shadow. He smiled seductively at Rory, finding her surprise to be humorous. Rory was breathing fast, and clung on to Jess tightly with both hands.  
  
"What do you want?' Jess demanded, keeping his voice perfectly calm, and with a bit of an edge to it as well.  
  
"Ooooh, the young man's got an attitude, does he?" The black man said, flashing his teeth again.  
  
"Look you asshole, stop playing games, now what the hell do you want?" Jess was now quite angry, he wanted to get this over with, he didn't want to hang around. Rory stood behind him, not believing he was actually talking the way he was.  
  
"What did you call me? Miguel," he said turning his attention to the other man behind them, "did that little punk just call me an asshole?" He asked snarling  
  
"Yah, the little shit did…so what you gonna do to him Rodney?"  
  
"Well, first, how bout he gives me his little bitch here," he said laughing and indicating Rory, "and then," his face hardened again, "he gives me all of his money." The man answered coldly  
  
Jess clenched his jaw and reached slowly into his pocket. The situation clearly wasn't going to clear up easily, and he couldn't let anything happen to Rory.  
  
  
  
"How about you stay the fuck off her, I'll keep my money, and will call it a day?" Jess said sarcastically back  
  
"You know boy, you aint know when to just shut up and do what your told do you?" The shouted back amused.  
  
Jess silently pulled a blade from his pocket and flicked it open. Rory saw the metal glimmer in the light, a silvery flash that sent shivers down her spine. The other man eyed it too, a little surprised, but then removed his hand from his pocket. He clicked it back, and pointed the gun right at Jess's chest.  
  
"Give me your wallet now." He said, his face serious, his yellow eyes flashing  
  
Jess stared at him, his muscles tight in anticipation. Behind him, he felt Rory tremble silently. He reached his hand back and pulled out his wallet, throwing it at the guy's feet. Before the man bent down to pick it up, he saw him look past Jess and nod his head at the other man. Before he knew it, Rory's panic yelp sounded from behind him, and she clung tightly to him as the man behind her had her around the waste, pulling her towards him. Jess spun around, knife clenched tightly in his hand. He had never had to use it, but now he had no doubt in his mind he would if he needed to, and his arm stayed steady. He grabbed on to Rory's hand, a look of abject terror on her face. The man pulled her from his grasp and held on to her. Before the man could react, Jess swung with the butt of his knife and smashed him right in the face, fear and anger lashing out. Blood poured freely from the man's nose as Jess grabbed Rory trying to pry her from his grasp. Rory's eyes grew large, over Jess shoulder she saw the other man lift his gun pointing right at Jess' open back, and squint his yellow eye taking aim.  
  
"Jess!" Rory screamed.  
  
Jess glanced over his shoulder just as a loud crack emitted from the gun barrel. Grabbing Rory he flung them to the side, but not fast enough. Jess felt a part of the bullet hit his arm as he collapsed down to the ground causing pain to sear into him like white hot fire. Jess grasped his arm as the pain shot though his body. He could feel his fingers were wet with blood, his blood. Glancing up, the second man stood looking down at his shirt, a hand covering a spot on his upper part of his left rib cage. He took away his fingers and in the hazy light Jess could see the dark red of milky blood. Miguel looked back down to his shirt, a blank expression on his pasty white face, and stared at the dark spot that grew larger with every second. Rodney stood staring at Miguel, frozen and unsure. Miguel turned his eyes back up and stared at Rodney. Then he let out a small groan, soft but filled with pain and disbelief. Jess watched as the man's eyes grew hazy and as his knees buckled. Jess quickly grabbed Rory and stood up, pulling her into a run towards their car. Jess looked back and saw Rodney rush forward and catch is partner before he collapsed to the ground. Then his face looked up and his icy stare met with Jess's. His face contorted in anger, the man raised the gun again pointing at their retreating backs. Jess, thinking fast, quickly pulled Rory and they dove behind the car nearest them, and sat crouched and breathing hard. The man hollowed like a wounded animal as he fired shots into the night air, each one and the ping of car metal it hit mixed with his cries created an eerie and gruesome melody, chilling to the bone. Jess clung tightly to Rory until he heard the click of an empty clip. It was deathly quite for a second and they both sat listening, their hearts beating loudly. Then Jess heard it, the unmistakable sputter of the wounded man. Peering under the car he saw the man convulse and let out a last gurgling sigh as his body thudded softly to the ground, his last breath lingering heavily in the air.  
  
Jess sat back up. He looked up into the night sky and felt an emptiness he had never before experienced. He felt like he was a shell watching the moment from above, confused and scared. They had never said death was like this, he had never felt such ignorance before. It was like he was just beginning to see the world, different than he ever had.  
  
Rory couldn't help her body; it trembled uncontrollably from the horror of what she had just experienced. She was never supposed to see something like that, never supposed to hear the last breath of a man. Who the man was, it was no longer important. All she felt, all she knew was that he, that they all for that matter, were just minute sparks of life, flames, dancing in the currents of life. At any moment, one of their flames could be blown out, left for the wind to carry off the last lingering smoke, the last lingering essence of life. It was like she had lost all understanding of where she was. All she knew was that Jess was there, his presence and warmth so reassuring. In the disserted street, the man's sobs began to reverberate off the buildings and walls, echoing into ever corner of their heads.  
  
"Miguel…" He trailed off in to a pitiful mass of whimpering. Jess couldn't take it any longer, they had to leave.  
  
He pulled her up quietly, despite the pain in his arm. They numbly made there way from the car and paused as the man stared up at them, his face soaked with tears. They stood, not breathing and Rory's gaze was caught in his eyes. The man was like a trapped and wounded animal. She was glad when Jess pulled her away, she didn't think she could have done it herself. They ran, fear back in them though it was no longer an issue, back up to her car. She fumbled with the keys, but Jess pulled them out of her trembling hands and helped her into the passenger side of the car, taking the drivers seat instead. He quickly pulled out, screeching the tires as he backed up all the way to the street corner where he quickly turned down a random street, flooring it to put as much space between them and the man. But the distance was only in the physical, the further away he got, the closer he thought he was to them. He draped his left arm on the bottom of the steering wheel and glancing at his stained shirt, he hopped it wasn't too bad. He looked over at Rory and taking his right hand off the wheel, reached it out to her. He gently laced his fingers in with hers, and she smiled- a sad smile that tore at his heart. She never should have seen that, she was too pure, to innocent…it killed him inside to know she had lost a little of something that she could never get back, never. They didn't speak as they drove back to Jess's apartment. He pulled up in front of it and stopped, shutting off the engine. Rory looked at him, her face covered in silent tears. She scooted closer to him and he reached out his arm pulling her into his embrace. As she buried her face in his chest, she couldn't help the sobs that followed. Jess just held her tighter all the while whispering quietly to her. Rory cried hard, she didn't know for how long, but all the while Jess held and rocked her, telling her it was going to be alright. Finally, she dried her eyes on his already thoroughly dampened shirt and stared up into his eyes.  
  
"Thanks…" He smiled at her and nodded  
  
They both laid there for a minute more until the throb in Jess arm convinced him to break the silence  
  
"Rory, its late, I think we should just stay here tonight, and then leave in the morning…"  
  
She nodded at him and followed him out of the car and up to the door. Jess grabbed the bag in the back seat, figuring Rory might want it. Jess unlocked the door, he had made sure to get a key form Liz this time, and let Rory in. Liz was no where around, and Jess was relieved. Rory took her bag from him and he showed her to the bathroom. She changed and washed her face and came into Jess's room where he sat on his bed in a pair of shorts, bare chest, and holding a towel to his arm, his shirt strune on the floor with a large crimson spot on it, much bigger than she had though now that they were in the light. She walked in and took the towel from him, holding it up to his arm. She removed it quickly and took a glance at it. It was pretty deep, and it obviously needed stitches.  
  
"You need stitches Jess." She said softly looking at him intently and replacing the towel  
  
He shook his head "Not tonight I don't. I'll be fine, don't worry." He said to her  
  
"At least let me put something on it." She said worried  
  
"Ok…in the cupboard." He said pointing to the bathroom and taking back the towel as she got up and began rummaging through the assorted medical bottles and items. Finding what she wanted, she came back and dumped a roll of gauze on his bed and a box of butterfly bandages. She then went to his desk and began to open drawers looking for something.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked her, trying to see what she was looking for  
  
"Where's you scotch tape?" She asked back turning to face him. He furrowed his brow in question  
  
"You don't have any medical tape." She said pointing at his bathroom.  
  
"Didn't think I would. Actually, I'm surprised you even found what you did. The tape's in the third drawer down, no, the left side." He said as she reached for the instructed location.  
  
  
  
Fifteen minutes later Jess had on a crude bandage comprised of about 10 butterflies, a whole roll of gauze and about half the case of scotch tape which didn't end lacing his arm until just above his elbow, despite the fact he was hurt on the upper part of his arm.  
  
"That should do it." Rory smiled and patted his arm.  
  
She looked over and glanced at the clock, it was already almost one. Jess followed her gaze and taking the hint, began to pull back the covers. He got in with a little difficulty and looked back at her. She sat, unsure and a little nervous. He smiled at her, not a seductive one, but more of a reassuring, trustworthy smile. She crawled over to him and got under too. He flicked off the light, and she felt his arm slide over her stomach and press her against his body. Her body tensed, but just as quickly relaxed, his skin was warm against the bare parts of her's, and she felt safe. She drifted off into a light sleep, never wanting to leave his grasp, the closure of his touch and presence. Jess stared into the dark and listened to Rory's soft breathing. Things would be different after tonight, there was no doubting that, but things would be ok because they were in it together, they had each other. Jess finally felt the toile of the day captivate his body, and he relaxed, letting the battle end to a dreamless stupor.  
  
  
  
  
  
Ok, just read the top AN if you haven't and please review and tell me what you think.  
  
Breanna 


	12. Blood, Needles and Doctors- Oh my!

AN: Ok, just to clear up any questions, the other man was the one that shot the second man; he was trying to shot Jess, but missed and killed his partner. Jess got grazed by the bullet. Also, Jess didn't stab the man; he hit him with the butt of his knife. Ok, just wanted to clear that up. Thank you so much for the reviews, some of you absolutely make my day, even if you don't realize it, you do! I know I am slow, but hey, I try…  
  
  
  
Chapter 11: Blood, Needles and Doctors- Oh my!  
  
  
  
Rory stirred in her sleep, warm and content. Then she felt an arm wrapped around her, felt a body behind her, and nearly jumped out of bed.  
  
"What the…" Jess almost cursed in surprised, then settled down sleepily rubbing his eyes with one hand.  
  
Rory sighed, now remembering where she was, and who she was with. But with this remembrance, last nights event couldn't help but make a painful appearance as well.  
  
"Sorry, I just forgot where I wa-wa-was…" Rory said not managing to stifle the yawn at the end of her sentence.  
  
"Don't worry about it." Jess said and flopped back down on his back.  
  
"How's your arm?" Rory asked, crawling over to him as he struggled to sit up again.  
  
"Uh, it…" He said as he turned his arm to look at the bandage  
  
"Still really needs stitches." Rory finished for him, her eyebrows wrinkled in concern.  
  
Despite the massive amounts of gauze she had used, the blood had seeped through, and now, though the tape made it look like a pool of blackish red.  
  
"Yah." Jess said agreeing. He looked up at Rory and smiled weakly at her. "Don't worry, I will be fine. But how are you?" He asked the sensitive question carefully  
  
"Ok, I guess…" Rory trailed off. "Hey," she continued "don't you think it would be a good idea to call the cops or something? I guess we just forgot last night…" Rory said  
  
"Oh, um…ok." Jess said awkwardly  
  
"What does that mean?" Rory asked suspiciously  
  
"Well, I'm sure someone heard the gun shots, or saw the, ah…well, I'm sure someone heard the shots and called the cops." Jess finished looking away  
  
"Jess, we just can't assume that." Rory said a little unsure if she was hearing Jess right.  
  
"Look Rory, I just don't think calling the police is the greatest idea…"  
  
"What! Jess, why wouldn't we call them?" Rory asked shocked  
  
  
  
"Why? Well I'll tell you why Rory. The second you call the police, the second the questions start. The second the questions start, the second it leads back to me, then I get in trouble." Jess said staring at her  
  
"What do you mean, you get in trouble? How can you get in trouble for being attacked?" Rory said in disbelief.  
  
Jess sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable.  
  
"Rory, I'm on probation. That means I'm not even to so much as step outside my front door past nine o'clock, and I hardly think being out past twelve can constitute as that. Then comes the question of how the, uh, man, got hurt in the face, and then why I had a weapon-yes even if it is for self protection-" Jess said as Rory opened her mouth to protest "and then knowing my kind-hearted probation officer, why my mother wasn't home. Then she gets in trouble, consequently I get in trouble from her, and then more questions come. Like 'what were you doing out so late in the first place?' Next thing you know, I end up in the hospital, taking a drug test, and, I really don't want to discuss what could come next. See Rory, calling the cops really works out well for me." Jess finished sarcastically  
  
"Oh." Was about all Rory could muster. "You've had experience…"  
  
"You could say that." Jess shrugged  
  
"What if we leave a miscellaneous call?" Rory asked as she was stuck by the idea.  
  
Jess nodded, "Yah, if we call at all, we should definitely do that."  
  
"But what are we going to say at the hospital?" Rory suddenly realized after a moment of silence  
  
"What?" Jess asked coming out of his own thoughts  
  
"What are we going to tell them at the hospital? You need to get your arm fixed, so what do we say when they ask what happened?" Rory said, worried all over again  
  
  
  
"I don't think we'll really have to worry about it. It's not a distinguishable gun wound. I mean, I did only get a deep graze, and it's not like they have to go fishing for a bullet or anything." Jess said  
  
"So you mean we should just make up something that happened?" Rory asked  
  
"Got any ideas?" Jess asked back with a guilty shrug.  
  
"Come on; well figure it out on the way over." Rory sighed and stood up, searching for her clothes  
  
Jess watched her gather up her clothes, her body slumped and her face distant and forlorn  
  
"Rory…" Jess said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. She stopped as he got off the bed and stood in front of her. He looked deeply into her eyes; they were filled with such sadness, confusion and regret. He gently took the clothes from her hands and dropped them on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her into him. She didn't resists, but welcomed the embrace. Her hands tingled slightly as she felt his bare back under her touch. Rory didn't know what to feel. She was grateful and delighted for having Jess, confused, angry and saddened at what she had experienced, and nervous and anxious at what was to come. Her many emotions frustrated her, and she felt her eyes begin to water as she gripped on to him tighter, his soft skin warm against her body and touch. Jess pulled her away and wiped her face softly with his hand. She smiled weakly and kissed him gently on the lips, thanking him. Jess shook his head sadly as he watched her make her way to the bathroom to change, he couldn't think of the start to a better relationship in worst conditions. But, hell, what didn't kill them would only make them stronger.  
  
  
  
After the two had dressed and made the call to the police station, Rory helped Jess pack up his things, which didn't take very long. Jess left a note for Liz on Rory's request. Very contrite and cold, all it said was that he was going back to Stars Hallow and to send the things he couldn't fit in his bag ASAP. After they left, they made a pit stop at a coffee shop and had breakfast and four cups of coffee for Rory alone, though she did allow Jess to convince her to make the last one to go. His arm was pulsating painfully and he felt a bit light headed, though he decided it best not to mention anything. After the phone call and her breakfast and coffee fix, Rory was already feeling a bit better. They pulled up to the hospital parking lot and made their way to the information desk.  
  
"Hi, I…" Rory stopped as the women held up a finger to silence her, picking up the ringing phone with her right hand and prodding at the flashing button with her oversized nails.  
  
"North Manhattan Saint Mary's Hospital, this is Gena speaking, how may I help you?"  
  
Rory sighed and looked at Jess  
  
"A Mr. Jemmins? No, Jenkins. Robert? Ok, hold on one moment please while I look up his room number…"  
  
"Come on…" Jess said grabbing her arm.  
  
As he pulled Rory away she couldn't help but notice the twinkle of mischief in his eyes. Sighing she followed.  
  
Jess led Rory back out side and turned, heading for the big read doors that read EMERGINCY above them.  
  
"Oh, no Jess! Are you crazy? You can't just…"  
  
"Why not, I've got blood, and that's just about all of an entrance fee they need." He said smiling despite the seriousness of the situation and the now increasing pain in his arm.  
  
Jess walked in, Rory a little hesitant, followed him. They walked up to one of the nurses, who looked a little puzzled at their casual entrance.  
  
"Can I help you?" She paused and asked them curtly. Cutting Jess off before he could respond with some sort of remark that probably would either be considered rude or sarcastic, Rory spoke instead.  
  
"My, um, friend here," she said looking sharply at Jess to shut up, "he hurt his arm and it needs stitches pretty badly. Do you think you could help us out?" Rory said as nicely as possible.  
  
"No." Rory was shocked "Not until you fill out all the forms first." The woman started to walk away.  
  
Rory couldn't believe what had just happened. Before she could think she was already blurting out  
  
"Being an emergency room, I believe it's your job to help us out. He. Is. Bleeding. Can you not see that? The paperwork can wait, right now; we need you to get us a person compatible with a needle and thread." Rory said her face a bit flustered in annoyance.  
  
Jess stood back, impressed, but also thankfully. He gripped onto the wall to stay standing, his head was spinning dangerously. The sooner he got it fixed, the better. He looked back down at the bandage and realized that it had leaked completely through the gauze, now that he had been moving his arm around. During the night it hadn't bleed much as he had been still, but now, the deep color was oddly foggy through the massive amounts of scotch tape, the red had crept along so that it was almost to where the 'bandage' ended above his elbow.  
  
The nurse stared at Rory for a moment, and then said reluctantly,  
  
"You know, usually we don't even talk to people that aren't on a gurney, but… it's a slow day. Follow me." She motioned to them, sighing and muttering under her breath as she walked away quickly, her impatient ness evident.  
  
"Thank you." Rory breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to Jess who stood smiling at her.  
  
"Didn't think you had it in you." He said  
  
"Me neither." Rory replied smiling. It left her quickly though, and she paused as Jess didn't move. "Aren't you coming?"  
  
"Oh, um, yah…" Jess trailed off and slowly let go of the wall, walking towards Rory. He didn't get far before he almost collapsed. She grabbed him before he fell and helped him stand.  
  
"Jess, are you ok?!" She asked in shock. He had seemed fine a minute ago.  
  
"Yah, just a little dizzy." He said shaking his head. "Come on, we better not loose Miss. Sunshine." He said, another attempt at lightening the situation  
  
"Ok…" Rory said apprehensively. She guided him down the hall, but by the time they had reached the end, his head was slumped and she was practically caring him.  
  
"Jess, come on Jess, were almost there." She said straining under his weight, practically begging him. Another doctor walked by and spotted her holding Jess.  
  
"What are you doing young lady?" He said, taking her by surprise  
  
"Trying to… help him… get to the room… that the nurse was showing us…" She grunted out  
  
"Forget that, come, on help me get him into the wheel chair." The doctor said as he grabbed one inside the nearest room.  
  
"He's lost a lot of blood. Do you know what blood type he is?" The doctor asked worried.  
  
"No…I don't have a clue." Rory said equally concerned.  
  
The doctor sighed and quickly wheeled Jess towards a room. Rory looked behind and noticed what the doctor must have seen earlier. There was a small trail of little dark puddles leading from around the corner they had turned to get into the hall. She turned back and followed after Jess, trying to ignore the guiding spots.  
  
  
  
Rory watched as the doctor, with the help of Miss. Sunshine Nurse (she had come back after realizing they hadn't followed her) laid Jess on a bed and hooked up an IV into the crook of his arm. Then, while the nurse took a blood sample, the doctor started to unwind the soaked bandage. Jess groaned slightly but then lye still, his eyes half closed. The nurse left the room quickly with the sample, and Rory watched as the doctor began to clean out the wound. It looked even worse than it had last night, and Rory hadn't thought that could be possible. The doctor sterilized it with a clear liquid and then held gauze onto his cut with one hand, the other groping around in the drawers for materials. Sighing, he looked questionably at Rory, and then looked away again.  
  
"Do you need me to help with something?" Rory asked, sensing he did  
  
"Oh, well, yes. Could you go out and find another nurse and tell her we need stitching material as soon as possible? Say doctor Straplin needs it." The doctor added  
  
"Be right back." Rory said without pause and left the room, taking one more quick glance at Jess before she left.  
  
"Excuse me, ma'm? Yes, hi, the doctor, uh, doctor Straplin," she now had the nurses attention; "yes, him, he said he needs stitching material for room, um," Rory craned her head to look, "room, 87, ASAP." She said all very quickly  
  
"Ok, I'll bring it right over." The nurse said as she turned and left.  
  
Satisfied, Rory headed back towards Jess room. She went in and noticed Miss. Sunshine there, she held another large bag, identical to the IV bag, only it was filled with thick red blood. Rory shivered as she watched her hook it up to the hanger and insert another large needle into the vein in the top of his hand. She saw him involuntarily flinch and squint his eyes as the nurse inserted it. She then inserted another needle connected to a long tube into the top of the protruding needle top already in his hand. Then she fitted the end of the tube to a slot in the bag and turned a small valve. A second later, Rory watched as a thin trail of red proceeded down the tube and into his hand like a thousand red fire ants hurriedly scurrying along to their burrow.  
  
For the next half an hour, she watched nurses come and go, and the doctor carefully sew up Jess's cut. When he was finished constructing Jess's fresh new bandage, he turned to Rory with a solemn look on his face.  
  
"Young lady, I would like to speak to you outside please." He motioned with his head and walked out of the door, expecting her to follow. "Don't worry, he'll be fine. He just needs to rest." He added at her hesitation  
  
With a lump in her throat, she did follow, growing more nervous each step. They had forgotten to talk about what they were going to say had happened to Jess on the ride over. She didn't know what to say had caused the cut.  
  
"Wait, first just let me say thank you…" Rory said uncomfortably, but still with the intent of hoping to win his favor, or at least his sympathy. "I'm sure you had a lot of other work to do, and it was really great of you to stop and help us." Rory smiled weakly  
  
"It was my pleasure." He said smiling at Rory. He seemed to be somewhere in his mid sixties, his hair was a dark brown, but flecks of gray were embedded here and there. He had a soft lean face and round glasses. His eyes scrunched a little when he smiled and Rory's panic ebbed a bit.  
  
"Now, come on, walk with me over to the information area. Yes, you still need to fill out the paper work." He said before Rory could even ask.  
  
He turned to her serious again as they made their way down the hall. "I'm not too sure what to think when I see two teenagers walk in, one of them with a serious cut from God knows what, wrapped up in scotch tape and gauze. Care to explain?"  
  
"Um…" for a moment Rory faltered, considering telling the truth. Then remembering what Jess had said earlier, Rory began to improv instead. "We were cooking-"  
  
"Cooking?" The doctor asked with disbelief  
  
"Yah, cooking," Rory continued "last night. We were making, uh, chicken, and his mom had one of those big knives-"  
  
"His mom?" He cut her off again  
  
"Yes, his mom was there, she was doing most of the cooking, we were just getting in the way…" Rory said getting a little caught up in the lie, "anyway, like I said, we were cooking and his mom slipped on some of the gravy I had spilled earlier and accidentally cut Jess, uh, the guy you were helping…"  
  
"I figured so much. Go on."  
  
"Well, it looked pretty bad, but it was already past twelve-"  
  
"You were making chicken past twelve?" Doctor Straplin asked in disbelief  
  
'Crap Rory' she thought "Um, yah, our family is a little spontaneous like that. Actually it was meant for tomorrow's dinner, and none of us could sleep so we decide to get a head start."  
  
"Oh, so you're family?"  
  
"His cousin." She lied again, "I'm staying with him for a few days."  
  
"Ok, so why didn't you go last night to the hospital, and why isn't his mom with you now?" The doctor prodded further, making Rory falter  
  
"Well, uh, it was really late like I said, and we didn't think the cut was too bad, so we made that bandage you saw earlier," He nodded rolling his eyes, "yah, that one, and we thought he'd be fine till the morning and we'd just take him in then."  
  
"Fine, but his mom isn't here because…" He prompted  
  
"Work. We told her not to worry about it, she had a huge meeting she had forgotten about and couldn't be late." Rory finished  
  
"Look, I know you're completely lying to me, but I can also tell you aren't going to tell me the truth. However, I must complement you; that was one of the better lying sprees that I've heard in a while." He doctor smiled, surprising Rory  
  
"Thanks." She said smiling back, not denying it.  
  
  
  
Two hours later, Rory sat in a chair, exhausted from trying to go over all the paperwork with the desk lady, Edna, and having to figure out how to pay for all the medical costs. It was a good thing Jess had stolen Liz's credit cards and wallet a while ago, and as hard as it was to admit, for once his bad habits had paid off- literally. Jess was now feeling a lot better, and was practically being force fed by Miss. Sunshine.  
  
"No, I don't want any, I'm not hung-" she muffled him with a large spoonful of yogurt. Rory smiled and Jess looked over at her, his eyes silently pleading for help.  
  
Just then, a loud beeping started sounding, and Rory jumped before recognizing it. Her beeper. Color suddenly drained her face as she pressed receive button with a trembling hand. 568- 9034. It was Lorelai.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Please Review, you guys are so great at it! There is a lot of R/J coming up, but first they need to solve the problems at hand. Hope you understand. Also, for all those of you who were wondering, yes, the rating will most likely change to R -soon…  
  
Breanna- oh, and great season finally huh! 


	13. Pay Phone Dealings

AN: Thanks for the reviews, and just to make it clear again, JESS DIDN'T KILL ANYONE! Also, I never considered a back-door doctor or anything like that, I don't know anyone that has ever done that, so I guess I didn't even think of that as a possible option. I wrote the hospital part from my experience at hospitals, which doesn't constitute doing the paper work, just the 'everything's better on morphine' part. And, yes, I know I didn't follow the 411 call recording exactly, but I decided to change it a bit. Just pretend it's special in New York…Ok, sorry about that, here's the next part. Enjoy.  
  
  
  
Chapter 12: Pay Phone Dealings  
  
  
  
"Wh-…at, what is it?" Jess asked practically chocking as he tried to swallow his potatoes.  
  
"It's my mom…" Rory trailed off speaking quietly  
  
"Oh. Did you tell her where you are?" Jess asked  
  
"Um," Rory said turning to the nurse "do you think you could excuse us?" The nurse glared at Rory before glancing back at Jess and hesitating.  
  
"I'll eat it. I promise." He added. She nodded and set the tray down on his bedside table.  
  
"I'm going to come and check…" She threatened as she left.  
  
"Rory, what's the problem?"  
  
"I told my mom I was going over to Paris's house. You remember, the girl that was over that night "Luke" had you bring over dinner?" Rory asked him  
  
"Oh, yah. So, she doesn't know you're here."  
  
"No."  
  
"Are you going to tell her?" Jess asked  
  
"No, yes, no, I…I don't know…" Rory said exasperated  
  
"Because…if you tell her she will be mad… but if you don't tell her…" Jess prompted  
  
"And she finds out…then she'll be even madder." Rory finished  
  
"Got it."  
  
"I need to know if she's called Paris's house or not, because that will make a huge difference in what I tell her…" Rory said more to herself than Jess  
  
"Rory," he said looked at her seriously "I'm…uh, sorry."  
  
"How is this your fault? I'm the one that came chasing after you…" Rory turned as she felt her face redden a bit at the memory of what she had said, and at the guilty feelings and thoughts she had had when Jess had kissed her. Since then, whenever she so much as glanced at him, all she could think about was doing it again.  
  
"Yes, but you forget, I willingly followed…" he said grinning at her. She couldn't help but smile back.  
  
"Ok, but I still need to call Paris, then my mom." She said trying to get off the subject  
  
"Fine, then call Paris." Jess said simply  
  
"Oh, but I would, if it were that easy…" Rory trialed off and Jess picking it up  
  
"…if you had her number."  
  
"Yep."  
  
"411" Jess suggested  
  
"Wow, that's so simple, so easy!" Rory exclaimed "You know, it's amazing how living in a small town can affect your sense of technology. Why use some fancy 411 thingy when everyone you know, or would bother to talk to, you either have their number memorized, or they live with in walking distance. But then again, it can be pretty cold sometimes, or you just don't want to move, and the phone book is stuck in some random sock drawer because you've only called the pizza man for the last dozen calls…" Rory rambled on as she got up and walked out of the room.  
  
Jess heard her still taking as she walked down the hall until her voice only became a muffled drown. He smiled to himself; there was no one like Rory Gilmore.  
  
"Hello and welcome to 411 local and national listing. For what listing please?"  
  
"Um, a person's house. Is that a listing? No wait, um, Par-"  
  
"For what city please."  
  
"How can I give you a city when I didn't even tell you the listing yet! I-"  
  
"For what state please?"  
  
"Connecticut, but now what does it matter, you don't even know…just connect me to an operator-"  
  
"Hold on one moment, your call is being transferred."  
  
"What! Ugg, I hate-"  
  
"Thank you, your total-"  
  
Bang. Rory slammed the phone done in frustration and desperately rattled at the coin return. Luckily, it was able to be salvaged.  
  
"Can't go wrong with zero. Nope, can never go wrong with zero. Good number zero is. Quite round and-" Rory mumbled as she pushed the zero.  
  
"Hello, operator speaking. How can I help you?" A woman sounded dryly on the other end, an obvious bubble crack followed.  
  
"Oh, um hi. I was wondering if I could get the number of a person I need to get in touch with." Rory asked a little unsure  
  
"What city, state and name please." The monotone voice followed by the bubble crack sounded again.  
  
"Ok, um, Hartford, Connecticut, Paris Geller." Rory said slowly  
  
"Not Paris France?" The woman snorted at her own joke  
  
"No, her name is Paris Geller."  
  
"Ok, one moment." (Pause) "No, sorry, they have blocked their number from our computer lists. Anything else?"  
  
"Oh. Um, no, I guess not. Thanks."  
  
Rory hung up the phone, a loss of what to do. Zero really wasn't that good of a number…too round…  
  
"What's up?" Jess asked right by her ear  
  
"Oh my God!" Rory screamed as she jumped from the sound of his voice  
  
"Don't scare me like that! Jesus!" Rory said smacking him lightly (on the other arm)  
  
"Ok, I'll have to remember that." Jess grinned at her as she stood gripping the phone booth behind her for balance.  
  
"Wait, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Rory asked him narrowing her eyes in suspicion.  
  
"Oh, yah, probably. So any luck? You were gone forever; I was beginning to worry…"  
  
"About me or the phone?" Rory asked him  
  
"Actually both." He said smiling back  
  
Rory's face grew serious.  
  
"Oh, not good?" Jess said reading her expression  
  
"You could say that. Your oh so brilliant 411 thingy was about to charge me for a nonexistent number, and the nice zero number, bubble snapping lady, informed me that the Geller's have had their number removed from their files." Rory said in a huff  
  
"I didn't know they could do that…" Jess trailed off  
  
"Yah, me neither, but I guess if anyone could, it would be Paris…"  
  
"So, what now?" Jess asked, but knowing the answer  
  
"I…I call my mom." Rory said with difficultly  
  
"You know, it is possible that she didn't call Paris, that she really does think that you are still over there…" Jess tired to point out  
  
"Yah, I guess. But, I won't find out unless I try. Right?" She smiled weakly  
  
She turned back to the phone and dumped the change in. Just as she was about to dial the number, Jess's hand prevented her from doing it.  
  
"What?" Rory asked in confusion  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
"Are you insane?" Rory asked surprised  
  
"No, well, as far as I know I'm not. Listen," he said trying to pacify Rory, "I'll call and ask for you. This way, if she says you aren't home, I'll ask where, and then we will know how much Lorelai knows…" Jess said raising his eyebrows as Rory nodded in approval  
  
"And, then, at the same time, she now wont even consider you being here as an option."  
  
"Oh, you are a smart one!" Rory squealed.  
  
"Wait." She stopped "but what happens when I show up in Stars Hallow with you in the car?" Rory asked  
  
"You don't. You drop me off at the bus stop." Jess shrugged  
  
"You are good." Rory grinned  
  
"Yes, but this is what I pride myself at being good at." Jess smiled back  
  
"You know, it's really sad to say I am making use of your evilly perfected habits. Guess I should have listened when they told me you were a bad influence." Rory said looking up at Jess, a smile on her lips, her eyes flashing  
  
Jess moved closer so he was standing only inches away, Rory's back up against the phone.  
  
"Yah, I guess you should have…" He trialed off as he moved in closer, holding his gaze with hers.  
  
Rory felt her heart flutter again just as his lips brushed hers, but just then her hand slipped and knocked off the phone, as it hit with a loud thump, making them spring apart.  
  
Jess smiled guiltily and rubbed the back of his neck as he turned around, and Rory tried to focus her attention back on the phone, but her face was red from blushing, her heart beating fast, and her breath shallow, making her head spin. Oh god, all that and he hadn't even kissed her? She shook her head smiling at her own foolish behavior.  
  
Jess came over and dialed her number from memorization-which made Rory smile again- and waited for it to ring, concentrating seriously  
  
"Oh, ow! Um, hello!" Lorelai said as she rubbed her toe she had stubbed trying to get to the phone.  
  
"Is Rory there?" Jess asked in his curt manner  
  
"Who is this?" Lorelai asked, but hardly needing to.  
  
"It Jess. Is Rory there?" He asked again, sounding annoyed  
  
"No, actually she's not." Lorelai snapped back  
  
"Where is she?" Jess asked with an abrupt simplicity that made Lorelai hesitate  
  
"Excuse me?" She asked in disbelief  
  
"Where. Is. She." Jess sounded out sarcastically  
  
"At a friend's house. And Jess, don't bother to call again, I won't pick up next time." Lorelai said slamming down the phone.  
  
"God I hate that kid!" Lorelai yelled to the coffee machine as she limped in to the kitchen, in need of caffeine.  
  
"So…" Rory asked  
  
"We're ok. She still thinks you're at Paris's house." Jess said  
  
"Good." Rory breathed a sigh of relief. "But I still need to call her, so she knows I got her page. She'll think it's a little weird if I don't call her back."  
  
"Yah, but wait a little while. The last thing we need is for her to make some connection to my call and yours. Being your mom, I can't even fathom what she might come up with." Rory could only nod at this flawless logic.  
  
"Come on, let's get out of here." Jess said as he grabbed Rory's arm leading her towards the door.  
  
"But Jess, they haven't cleared you." Rory tried telling him  
  
"Oh, they won't mind."  
  
"But how do you know? Maybe they need to do something else, run some more tests, and take some more blood samples. You could have lead poisoning -even though I doubt that bullet thing was even lead, but it is possible- and there you could be, leaving and not even know it, and then because you're impatient and we left, you will die and it will be all your fault. So you can't leave because your life is at a potential risk of…" But Rory stopped; they were now outside, to continue on was completely pointless.  
  
"You were saying…?" Jess said mocking her with a small smirk  
  
Rory huffed at him. "I'm driving." It was about all she could think to say as she shot him a look and pulled out the keys, walking away.  
  
"Sure thing Ror!" Jess acted annoyingly good natured. Rory glared at his sarcasm and saw he was now positively beaming at her. Turning back around, she couldn't help but smile to herself, despite her attempts to look angry.  
  
  
  
Rory and Jess drove for a while in silence, both of them thinking about different things, but both of them kept unconsciously going back to the memories of the previous night. The ringing sound of the gun, the thud of the falling man, the sight of the dark pool running down the hill, the smell of the blood…the memories hung around them, clung to their very skins and resided in the air they breathed.  
  
"There wasn't anything we could have done." Jess told her quietly knowing her solemn expression matched his thoughts.  
  
"I know…" Rory said keeping her eyes on the road. "But I keep thinking what if I hadn't parked the car on that street, what if I hadn't been so ridiculous to come and get you, what…" Rory faulted and looked at Jess, "what if you hadn't moved?" Rory whispered turning back to the road.  
  
"But I did." Jess said softly, but seriously  
  
"I know…but-"  
  
"But I did." Jess repeated firmly. Rory nodded  
  
"Rory, we can't live our lives in what if's."  
  
"I know."  
  
"We have to take something from this, take it and never forget it." Jess told her  
  
She looked over at him. "But all I want to do is forget it." Rory said her eyes watering  
  
"But we can't, and we would be stupid to try. All we can do is try and find how this could be good, and even though I am having a really hard time coming up with an example for your next question, I think that the answer will come more in time than right now." Jess tried to explain  
  
"No Jess, nothing can be good about this, nothing." Rory said adamantly shaking her head  
  
"Yes something Rory. You now know not everyone is good at heart."  
  
"I knew that before…"  
  
"But did you really?" Jess asked her  
  
"Yes, no, well, at least I have proof now…" Rory said sighing  
  
"See." Jess told her "Something can come out of it, if you want it to."  
  
"Ok, one thing that I personally would have preferred to have never found out."  
  
"I know." I was Jess' turn to agree  
  
They drove in silence for a while longer until Jess suggested they pull off so Rory could call her mom.  
  
"Wait Rory," Jess stopped her, and then fidgeted awkwardly. "Are you, are you going to tell her? About last night I mean?" Jess asked quietly  
  
"No, not now anyway." Rory told him truthfully  
  
"But later?" Jess asked  
  
"I want to…"  
  
"But then she'll know you lied, how I got home, and knowing her, it will somehow be my fault." Jess finished for her perfectly  
  
"I couldn't have said it better if I had finished my own sentence." Rory said sarcastically despite the seriousness of the situation.  
  
"So…are you?" Jess asked again  
  
"Maybe, probably, I don't know Jess." Rory said exasperated. "I'll need to see how things play out."  
  
"Ok." Jess nodded and turned to go fill up her car with gas before they left.  
  
Rory sighed and determinedly dropped two quarters into the money slot. Grabbing the phone, she slowly dilled the number to the house, and waited, heart pounding nervously as the first ring echoed through the receiver  
  
Lorelai jumped as she had been deeply engrossed in her magazine when the phone rang. Sighing she got up and made her way over to it and picked it up.  
  
"Hello?" Lorelai said  
  
"Mom, hey, it's Rory." Rory tried to sound perfectly normal  
  
"Oh, hi hun, I was wondering when you were going to call; I paged you like an hour ago." Lorelai told her walking back to the kitchen table and sitting down again  
  
"Oh, sorry mom, I guess I didn't hear it." Rory lied "I just checked it a bit ago and realized you had paged." Rory said trying to sound convincing  
  
"Ok, well good, I was planning to call Paris' house in a couple of minutes, but now I don't need to." Lorelai said flipping through the pages  
  
"Right! Now you don't need to. No need at all, absolutely none because I called you. So why on earth would you need to call me, especially at Paris'? Nope, don't need to call here at all!" Rory said a little panicked  
  
"What's up with you? Is there a reason you wouldn't want me calling Paris' house?" Lorelai asked suspiciously.  
  
"Oh, yes, many!" Rory said hurriedly  
  
"Like…" her mom prompted  
  
"Like because Paris always gets snappy when other people call for me, I mean, she gets annoyed even when I only ask to use her phone. I think she feels that I am bored with her or something, or that she's not important enough for me to pay attention to." Rory lied  
  
"Strange girl…" Lorelai muttered to herself  
  
"Yah," Rory agreed and continued "And her house keeper, oooh, she is very strange. She has an obsession about picking up the phone, and she, well, think female Michel."  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Uh huh, and her parents, they're really grouchy, they find the noise of the phone to be a disturbance. Especially her mom, she feels it upsets the balance of the house."  
  
"Oh, she's one of those herbal, soy milky moms, huh?" Lorelai winced  
  
"Yah, so, see, it is a very, very bad idea to call here. Stick to my pager." Rory said firmly  
  
"Got it kiddo. So, when yha coming home?" Lorelai asked  
  
"Um, not for a couple of hours at least."  
  
"Oh…"  
  
"Sorry, but you know Paris…and we've got a ton of home work to do. Projects and such, it will take a while, our teachers were extra nice this weekend." Rory lied again  
  
"Ok, well, call me again some time in the next week or so."  
  
"Will do. Love you mom." Rory said feeling a bit relived  
  
"Love you too sweetie. Bye." Lorelai hung up sighing. Pausing a moment in thought, she turned and headed for the door, grabbing her coat and keys before she left. She needed coffee, food, and…she smiled to herself, company.  
  
  
  
Rory hung up the phone and let her head fall on the top of the booth. She didn't think she had ever lied as much in her whole life as she had in that one conversation with her mom. Come to think of it, she didn't think she had ever really lied to anyone except here or there, until Jess had come. He had turned her life upside down, but what shocked her the most was that she was thoroughly enjoying the ride. 'I am my mother's child' she thought to herself.  
  
"Hey, you ready?" Jess asked holding a coffee in one hand, and her car keys in the other.  
  
"Yah, just got off the ph…Oh! Coffee! I love you!" Rory beamed as she saw what he was holding. She grabbed the coffee he handed to her, but then smiled shyly as she looked up at him, realizing she couldn't use that last phrase sarcastically anymore. Jess caught on and smiled back at her raising his eyebrows. Rory looked down, suddenly finding the lid to her coffee quite entertaining.  
  
  
  
Lorelai bounded down the steps when she suddenly remembered she didn't have any money. It was ok to get away with not paying for a cup of coffee here and there, but it wouldn't be cool to not pay for a meal. Stopping she checked to see how much she had in her wallet. One dollar. She sighed, annoyed and went back up to the house. She checked her dresser, the counter, her dirty pants, and could only scrounger up one more dollar and 47 cents. 'Great' she thought to herself. 'Now I'll have to starve…unless…' she was struck with a sudden idea and bounded down the stairs two at a time. Rory must have some money in her room.  
  
She opened the door and headed over to the bed table. In the process she tripped over a large yellow and black bundle…Rory's backpack?  
  
Lorelai stopped and stared, and as realization struck her, a shocked and angry look caressed her face  
  
"Going to Paris' to study, huh Rory?" She said out loud  
  
  
  
  
  
Please review, I know I'm slow, but by now you're all probably used to it...  
  
Breanna 


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